The Rise and Fall of Liberal Internationalism

The Rise and Fall of Liberal Internationalism

Editor’s Note (13 June 2025): This essay was published shortly before the Israeli strikes on Iran. Given these unfolding events, we are reviewing the piece in light of the current geopolitical landscape and may update it accordingly.I.When the Soviet Union collapsed, the most dangerous source of conflict in the world suddenly and unexpectedly evaporated. While the immediate post-Cold War era was a period of extraordinary optimism in the liberal-…