| ID | 098462 |
| Title Proper | Liberal internationalist discourse and the use of force |
| Other Title Information | Blair, Bush and beyond |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Moses, Jeremy |
| Publication | 2010. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | This article analyses the liberal internationalist discourses that drew together the foreign policies of Tony Blair and George W. Bush. While it is clear that the two former leaders maintained a deep and abiding commitment to the spread of freedom and democracy to all corners of the world, very little work has been carried out to explain how these shared values related to their exercise of an aggressive foreign policy and, perhaps more importantly, what this can tell us about some of the most persistent undercurrents of liberal foreign policy practice. This article begins by illustrating the 'liberalisms' of both Blair and Bush before examining the place of globalisation, humanitarianism and democracy in their respective foreign policy doctrines. It then briefly examines whether these themes may continue under the Obama presidency. Finally, the international and domestic consequences of this form of liberal internationalism are raised. The article concludes with the claim that a failure to recognise and understand the inevitable violence generated in pursuit of unquestioned liberal values will lead those who follow Bush and Blair toward the same excessive use of force that has characterised the war on terror. |
| `In' analytical Note | International Politics Vol. 47, No. 1; Jan 2010: p.26-51 |
| Journal Source | International Politics Vol. 47, No. 1; Jan 2010: p.26-51 |
| Key Words | Foreign Policy ; Liberal Values ; Humanitarianism ; Democracy ; Globalisation |