Critically examine the features and importance of the neo-liberal approach to the study of international relations.

    The neo-liberals share most of the convictions of the liberals except their confidence in human progress and co-operation. Unlike, the traditional liberals neo-liberals are far less optimistic about progress but not as pessimistic as realists or neo-realists.

    Neo-liberals as a class can be recognized as post-war liberals. The Second World War (WW II) had exposed the flaws of the international system and decreased the confidence of co-operation among liberals. Thus neo-liberals while sharing the belief of liberals did not share their optimism. The interwar liberals were branded as idealists and criticized for their optimistic assumptions. Pre-war scholars believed that although slowly but steadily that realization of human freedom.

    As Zachery and Mathew have pointed out the neo-liberals were keen to be not branded as idealists. They were happy to follow the contemporary ethos of social science by explaining rather than predicting events.

    Neo-liberals as a class can be subdivided into institutional neo-liberals, sociological neo-liberals, republican neo-liberals and interdependence neo-liberals.

    Neo-liberal institutionalism presented a strong challenge against realists and Neo-realists. Institutional neo-liberals shared lot of commonalities with the realists but differed in the possibility and scope of co-operation. They criticized the realists for focusing only on completion and conflict and overlooking co-operation.

    Political institutions such as UN and financial institutions such as IMF, WB have brought predictability and rule enforcement. The World Order Models Project (WOMP) provided further impetus to neo-liberals institutionalisms. WOMP sought to promote alternatives to interstate system with a view of eliminating war. The major challenge to international co-operation was the fear of Non-cooperation and cheating. Neo-liberal institutionalisms believe that this fear can be allayed and possibly eliminated by building strong institutions capable of enforcing international law.

    Another key distinguishing factor between realists and neo-realists and neo-liberals is the role of state. Neo-liberals believe that the state is a key actor, but not the only significant actor. They do not equate international relations with inter-governmental and inter-state relations.

    Sociological neo-realists have focused on transnational actors.  Unlike the realists who view international relations exclusively in terms of study of relations between the governments of sovereign states, sociological liberals look at relations between people, groups and organizations of different countries. The Communication theory is an integral component of sociological neo-liberalism.

    Karl Deutsch is considered as the chief proponent of communication approach in international relations. Deutsch believes that the level of interaction between two nations such as tourists, migration, economic activities such as trade would result in the evolution of “security communities”. He believes that the people will develop a feeling of a sense of community. Conflicts in such communities would be resolved without resort to large scale force.

    Republican neo-liberals believe that increased co-operation is possible between democratic nations. They believe co-operation is easily possible since nations share western democratic liberal values. They seek the enlargement of the community of democratic and capitalist nation states to enhance co-operation. They believe democracies are better equipped to resolve conflicts and are less prone to war. Democracies are founded on peaceful existence and rule of law. Masses generally eschew war and conflict. Democracies pander to mass sentiment. Moreover, democracies share similar moral values. They believe that democracies might come together as a ‘pacific Union’ as conceived by Kant.       

    Interdependence neo-realists believe conflict, competition and co-operation co-exist in international relations. Robert Kohane and Joseph Nye propounded the complex interdependence theory which was illuminating in various aspects. They believed that the process of modernization has increased the level and scope of interdependence between the states. They believe that the increasing interactions and economic linkages would make military force redundant. They believe that other skills such as negotiation, perception management and media management are becoming more important. They feel that nations will increasingly opt for the ‘low politics’ of welfare and economic prosperity rather than the ‘high politics’ of national security. This would eventually pay way for a world free of all conflicts.

    Neo-liberal policies are pushed by neo-liberal intuitions such as IMF, WB, WTO. The free trade economic modal and globalization agenda are spear-headed by these organizations.

    Neo- liberals vary in their perceptions of world order and conceptions of how to achieve co-operation. The common strand that knits the neo-liberals is their belief in human reason and rationalism. Their conviction that mutual interests and benefits would result in increased international co-operation.