Sources of International Conflicts in Contemporary and Historical Context as a Threat to the Global Democratic and Liberal Order: Causes of Occurrence and Ways of Eradication

Abstract

The global democratic and liberal order, which was laid after the Second World War, is now in great danger. This order is a cornerstone in the interaction of consolidated democracies, which use liberal values and human rights, as well as follow the principles of international law. However, the growing number of conflicts, the increasing level of antagonism between superpowers and the danger of its escalation into a global conflict are factors that destroy the above principles. Examining the sources of international conflicts, the author considered it necessary to analyse them in a contemporary and a historical context. In the contemporary context, the article emphasises the existence of a crisis of trust at the global level. On the basis of the analysis the author concludes that the crisis of trust is based on a conflict of values. As a key point that differentiates norms and values, the concept of respect is defined and explored, which is strongly linked to the concept of tolerance. This is critical for further identifying the ways to eradicate conflict sources. In the historical context, the author considers an attempt by the authoritarian superpowers to impose on the rest of the world an alternative vision of the principles of the international order through external aggression aimed at restoring the lost influence and internal position of authoritarian leaders. Thus, there is actually a recurrence of aggressive revisionism in the 1930s. The article emphasises that democratisation (promotion of democracy on a global scale), increasing the number of states with a democratic political regime, can be seen as effective ways to eradicate sources of conflict. The author argues that the probability of armed conflict at the global level is inversely proportional to the number of democracies.