Non-discrimination and the Future of the LIO

• In Event: Who Supports—and Opposes—the Liberal International Order?

Abstract

A wave of populism is sweeping over the world threatening the foundations of the liberal international order, which is based on principles of economic and political freedom. Economic freedom involves property rights protection and free exchange, including open cross-border exchange of goods, services and capital. Political freedom entails freedom from government oppression, coercion and discrimination. However, the intellectual focus of international relations scholars, and the practical focus of governments, has been to secure property rights and promote open economic relations, democracy and human rights. Much less academic and policy attention has been paid to guaranteeing freedom from ethnic and religious discrimination, especially in developed countries. This inattention has created a permissive environment for discriminatory beliefs and practices to persist, thereby providing fertile ground for illiberal leaders to emerge. When left to fester, these societal dynamics pose a significant threat to the liberal international order in two ways. First, they undermine liberal norms of equality. Second, they allow extreme-wing populists to surf into office and undermine democracy. Both developments pose a threat to the LIO. We provide a theoretical argument for why the future of the LIO depends on strengthening respect for non-discrimination, provide empirical support for our claim and outline ways to reinforce society’s commitment to non-discrimination.

Authors

• Carla Norrlof, University of Toronto

• Cheng Xu, University of Toronto