Liberalism vs Neoliberalism | From Political Theory to International Relations

This study clarifies one of the most common conceptual confusions in political and international thought — the relationship between liberalism and neoliberalism. While both terms share historical roots in Enlightenment ideas of freedom and rationality, their meanings diverge sharply across domains. In political theory, liberalism refers to a philosophy of individual rights, constitutional limits, and democratic governance, whereas neoliberalism signals a late-20th-century shift toward market primacy, privatization, and state retrenchment. In international relations, by contrast, liberalism becomes a theory of peace through democracy, trade, and law, and neoliberalism — or more precisely neoliberal institutionalism — describes how states can sustain cooperation under anarchy through institutions and regimes. By distinguishing these contexts, the video shows how the same vocabulary can name very different intellectual traditions, reminding us that conceptual clarity depends on disciplinary perspective. Content: 1. Setting the Stage: Why the Confusion Exists I. Introduces the widespread conflation of “liberalism” and “neoliberalism” across politics, economics, and IR. II. Outlines the two analytical arenas: general political theory and international relations. III. Frames the guiding question: how do the meanings of these terms shift across fields? 2. Liberalism in General Political Theory I. Traces the lineage from Locke and Enlightenment thought to modern constitutional democracy. II. Defines core principles: liberty, individual rights, rule of law, limited government. III. Emphasizes liberalism’s normative and institutional contributions to democratic governance. 3. Neoliberalism in General Political Terms I. Explains neoliberalism as a 20th-century economic ideology tied to Hayek, Friedman, Reagan, and Thatcher. II. Highlights themes of market efficiency, deregulation, and privatization. III. Distinguishes it from classical liberalism — technocratic, market-oriented, and often criticized for inequality. 4. Liberalism in International Relations I. Describes liberal IR theory: democracy, commerce, and international law as foundations of peace. II. Notes key concepts like democratic peace and interdependence. III. Links domestic political values to cooperative state behavior on the global stage. 5. Neoliberal Institutionalism in IR I. Defines IR “neoliberalism” as institutional theory, not market ideology. II. Centers on Keohane and Nye’s analysis of cooperation under anarchy. III. Compares its assumptions to realism while emphasizing institutional solutions and shared interests. 6. Bringing It Together: Comparing Across Domains I. Synthesizes differences through a comparative table of meanings across political theory and IR. II. Underscores the terminological shift: the same label, different referents. III. Concludes that in politics, liberalism and neoliberalism are distinct ideologies; in IR, they are theoretical relatives — with neoliberal institutionalism extending liberal insights into global cooperation. #politicalscience #politicalphilosophy #politicaltheory #philosophy #philosopher 0:00 Setting the Stage: Why the Confusion Exists 1:34 Liberalism in General Political Theory 3:17 Neoliberalism in General Political Terms 5:00 Liberalism in International Relations 6:36 Neoliberal Institutionalism in IR 8:34 Bringing It Together: Comparing Across Domains