Critical examination of global liberal governance and new forms of political violence

Abstract

This study critically examines the ideas of cosmopolitan liberalism and global liberal governance in relation to new forms of political violence. Cosmopolitan liberal framework appears problematic in terms of its appeal for universal humanism which makes the approach outdated and naïve. Global liberal governance uses humanitarian argumentation to legitimise its hidden agendas seeking to establish the liberal rule where it sees opportunities. Global liberal governance produces security for those it considers to be worth securing, and thus is far less noble than it is often apprehended to be.

During the past couple of decades the nature of political violence has taken new forms and become more complex. The One Child Policy (OCP) in China and human trafficking in general are problems of the new millennium which are unapproachable through cosmopolitan liberal framework and unappealing for global liberal governance. This study illustrates how these forms of new political violence have a capacity to accumulate to new genocides, and in case of China already has.

The case of China clearly illustrates how some violations of human rights are left unrecognised as they appear unappealing to global liberal governance, whereas on other cases the liberal regime is willing to use the humanitarianism to justify intervention. Hence, the aim of this study is to develop critical apprehension of global liberal governance and its relation to new political violence, and thus reveal power structures behind them.