The China Challenge: The Liberalizing Effect of the Liberal International Order

THE CHINA CHALLENGE: THE LIBERALIZING EFFECT OF THE LIBERAL INTERNATIONAL ORDER by William Benenson A research study submitted to Johns Hopkins University in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Global Security Studies Baltimore, Maryland December 2020 © 2020 William Benenson All Rights Reserved ABTRACT The prevailing logic following the collapse of the Soviet Union (USSR) in the late 20th century was that the world’s political trajectory favored western-style liberalism. The nations making up the post-World War II Liberal International Order (LIO) sought to capitalize on the USSR’s collapse by creating space for authoritarian regimes to transition toward liberalism. As part of that approach, the United States played a leading role in enabling China’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). This process paved the way for Beijing to normalize its global trade relationships. Western leaders—drawing from academic theory related to the LIO and its core tenets—argued that welcoming China into the global order would help drive its political transformation away from illiberalism. In subsequent decades, however, Beijing’s leadership has failed to live up to the West’s rosy expectations. This paper uses a series of case studies and available historical data to analyze these issues. The data makes it clear that Chinese illiberalism has become more brazen, challenging portions of the logic underwriting the LIO. Emerging challenges in the 21st century are changing the nature of international relations such that the LIO must adapt itself to the era. While liberalism’s core tenets must remain constant, the way they are deployed must change if the LIO is to have a liberalizing effect on adversarial nations