Republicanism v. Liberalism in
Post-Conflict Settlements (Barnett)
-
How
should civil wars and state failures be resolved?
-
What
should the goal of political development be?
o
establishment of liberal, representative, capitalist, democratic state?
o
national self-determination of political rules and arrangements?
§
How
can it be determined except democratically?
-
Moral
or Causal Critique?
o
Does
liberal peace-building cause poor post-conflict outcomes?
o
Are
liberal peace-building advocates blameworthy for advocating poor policies?
o
Liberalism v. Republicanism
-
liberalism
focused on protecting autonomy of
individual from state or societal interference
o
autonomy
permit actions that do not interfere with autonomy of others
o
state
is legitimate if it protects (and advances) autonomy
§
market
and civil society should function in ways that enhance autonomy
o
bargaining among individuals (and groups) with fixed identities and interests
-
republicanism
focused on protecting individuals from arbitrary
power of state and factions (society)
o
collectively
accepted goals are not arbitrary ones
o
state
is legitimate if it non-arbitrarily achieves collective goals
§
minimizes
factional conflict
o
deliberation among individuals (and factions) to
achieve public good
§
identities
or interest might change
Alleged Flaws of “Liberal Peace-Building”
Approach
-
insufficiently
republican
-
favor
bargaining over deliberation
o
collective
goals are not a strong focus
o
institutions
designed to increase bargaining rather than impede arbitrary power (constitutional
critique)
-
non-state
actors and institutions favored over state ones
o
democratic
representative elections privileged over building legitimate state
o
state
capacity under-developed
-
international
peace-builders are not accountable to population
-
de facto blackmail (conditionality)?
o
economic
policies determined externally
o
linked
to aid budgets
Alternative, Republican Approach
-
encourage
participation in governance
o
representation
over formal elections
o
power-sharing
w/ international authorities
o
aim
is a state with popular legitimacy
-
publicity
and deliberation over close-door bargaining
o
factions
forced to justify positions
o
collective
aims set
-
create
strong state
o
checks
& balances to limit arbitrary rule by state
o
state
autonomy to achieve collective ends