Liberal Optimism Essay

1251 Words6 Pages

Question 1
The first part of this essay will discuss the optimism of liberals about human progress, cooperation and peace by giving reasons and examples of that optimism. Furthermore, this paper will look at how and why liberal arguments are invalid by providing examples. The essay will further deliberate the liberal’s view on conflict and the causes thereof. The type of actors in the theoretical explanation for conflict in the international system will also be discussed.
Liberalism, along with realism, is one of the main schools of thought in international relations.According to liberals, international relations is not only controlled by the relationship between states but also includes and emphasises the role of other actors.
During WWI and …show more content…

Americans encourage free trade especially with African countries and they also provide African countries with humanitarian aid. But in return they want their natural resources like oil and other minerals. Another assumption of liberals is collective security which mainly focuses on an arrangement were individual states in the system agrees that the safety and the security of one state is the concern of all and agrees to have a collective connection in response violence or aggression. (Smith 1986, 36). An alliance system of this collective security can be disputed, and different states can join each other commonly as a reaction a specific internal or external threat. An example of this was seen during the league of nation era when an occurrence of conflict follows, affiliate member states must stop normal associations and relations with criminal state, execute sanctions and if required commit their armed militaries to the disposal of the leagues of nation council should the use of force be necessary to bring back the status quo. (Cox, Inkberry & Inoguchi 2000,