The Crisis of the Conservative International Order

The crisis of the liberal international order (LIO) is the dominant narrative of our time. It pervades scholarship, journalism and policy discussion, influencing the ways we see contemporary global tensions, future possibilities and political choices. This article argues that the current crisis is not simply a crisis of the LIO, but of the CIO—the conservative international order. The postwar order was not constructed by liberals alone. It was also built by conservative governments, politicians and intellectuals who were crucial parts of the domestic and international accommodations and alliances underpinning the postwar order. Today's crisis is to a large degree the result of the implosion that has transformed conservatism from a supporter of the LIO to one of its most powerful opponents. While this article focuses on the United States, the implications of the crisis of the CIO extend beyond America and require a fundamental rethinking of the conventional International Relations view of liberalism and the development of the LIO. The influence of the anti-liberal forces in American conservatism is supported by their transnational connections, allowing for powerful alliances that undermine mainstream conservatism and its historical support for the LIO. The crisis of the CIO, in short, is global.

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