ABSTRACT
There are ways to challenge a realistic worldview, and neoliberalism is one of the most influential among them. What if states don’t have to assume the worst and suspect others of hostile intentions? What if world politics is not just about the states?
This chapter covers basic assumptions and underlying philosophy of neoliberalism. Ideas of Kant, in particular about ways to perpetual peace, as well as post-World War I idealism of Wilson and Angell are examined. These reflections about international politics set the scene for more detailed and specific assumption of the modern neoliberalism. Among them complex interdependence theory and democratic peace theory provide alternative visions of how domestic politics is linked to foreign policy and how a repeated cooperation among states can ameliorate security dilemma and shift emphasis from relative to absolute gains.
Neoliberal paradigm turns an eye from interstate rivalry to networks of cooperation among various agents and thus provides additional elements to the overall picture of world politics.
