ABSTRACT
Freedom to pursue economic gain, liberty to participate in the affairs of public life, respect for political human rights, and minimal government are the hallmarks of liberal theory. It was a radical ideology in the 1700s and remains a threat today to traditional and authoritarian political systems. It has been spectacularly successful as a political ideology. Liberalism has operated primarily within countries. This is an important point to remember when liberalism is applied to the realm of world politics, because liberal theory treats the domestic circumstances of states as crucial variables in explaining their international behaviors. The chapter briefly explores the ways contemporary international relations theorists use liberal principles to explain world politics. It provides a discussion of "pluralistic security communities", the democratic peace, interdependence, and the societal basis of state preferences in world politics. State-society liberalism both intersects with and diverges from the other versions of liberal international theories.
