The Liberal International Order Reconsidered

Abstract

For many scholars, policymakers, and media commentators, it is self-evident that we live today in a liberal international order and that the big questions concern the durability of this order; its ability, in particular, to survive the rise of non-liberal great powers and the politics of anti-liberal social forces. But what is an international order, and what is the nature of the liberal international order, in particular? One prominent answer is provided by John Ikenberry, who defines an international order as “the ‘governing’ arrangements among a group of states, including its fundamental rules, principles, and institutions” (2001: 23), and a liberal international order as one that “is open and loosely rule based”, creating “a foundation in which states can engage in reciprocity and institutionalised cooperation” (2011: 18). International orders, so understood, are constructed by great powers, and the present liberal order reflects the post-1945 ascendance of the United States.