To what extent has the imposition of liberalism today affected people globally?CH. 9 Lesson 2

Realities of imposing Liberalism

•“No political doctrine or ideology can represent the full truth of human life” Do you agree?

•Read the excerpt at the bottom of p. 318-319. How would you react to such a situation? Would other countries be

Justified in Intervening?

Imposing Liberalism for Self-Interest• Globalization and the growing interconnectivity

of our world has created a situation in which communication, trade flows, and political stability in one country is often dependent on outside factors.

• Reasoning: • 1. The imposition of Liberalism to eliminate or

reduce terrorist attacks will maintain the security of other liberal democracies

• 2. or for reasons of economic self-interest. If liberalism is fostered in countries where it is not present, it will benefit the economy of that country and encourage trade with other liberal democracies (mutual economic benefits)

The War on Terror – 2001 - Afghanistan

• 9/11, 2001 - Terrorist attacks on U.S.A launched American lead “military, political, and ideological” war on terror. Britain, Canada, and many other countries support removal of Taliban government in Afghanistan (known supporters of al Qaeda).

• Read the comments by Tony Blair, George Bush – Do you agree with their justifications?

Extending war on terror to Iraq•The United States attacked Iraq in 2003 due to its

perceived threat to begin using weapons of mass destruction to aid terrorist groups.

•Unlike the Afghanistan invasion though, the UN and many other countries did not support this reasoning (Canada and France did not support attack).

•The opposition to the war in Iraq argued that this was a blatant misrepresentation of the need to impose liberalism on non-liberal societies – it has been seen my many as pure economic self-interest that guided the removal of Saddam Hussein and establishment of a Liberal Democracy in Iraq.

•Is Self –Interest an acceptable condition for the imposition of Liberalism?

Imposing Liberalism for Humanitarian reasons•The imposition of Liberalism for moral or ethical

reasons such as to improve living conditions or stop human rights violations.

•Read John Rawls comments on p. 322 about imposing liberalism – What concerns him about the imposition of Liberalism?

•Sometimes the altruistic argument (devotion to the welfare of others) is used in combination with an argument of self-interest to justify a foreign policy of intervention to protect citizens from authoritarian regimes. This is not always successful though.

Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan p. 323-4•In groups of 3, read the 3 quotes on p. 323-4

and discuss your responses to questions 1-3.

Why can Liberalism fail?•Read p. 324-329 and compile a list as well as

case examples that express why Liberalism can fail:

What makes Liberalism successful?

•In groups, compile a list of conditions that need to be present in a society for Liberalism to succeed: