Russia’s heinous invasion of Ukraine on February 24 has been called a major turning point in world history. Many said it marked the end of the post-Cold War era, the repeal of “Europe whole and free” that we thought we would see appear after 1991, and even the end of “the end of the story”. “We all now live in the world of Vladimir Putin”, recently declared Ivan Krastev, a wise observer of events east of the Elbe. A world in which brute force tramples the rule of law and democratic freedoms.
It is indisputable that the implications of the Russian offensive go far beyond the borders of Ukraine. The current crisis has demonstrated that we cannot take the existing liberal world order for granted. It’s something we constantly have to fight for and will go away as soon as we let our guard down.
The problems facing today’s liberal societies did not begin with Putin and will not end with him. Liberalism has been under attack for some time now, both from the right and from the left.
Rise of populism and nationalism
In its 2022 report, [l’ONG] Freedom House notes an overall decline in freedom around the world for the sixteenth consecutive year. This decline is not only due to the rise of authoritarian regimes, such as Russia and China, but also to the rise of populism, illiberalism and nationalism within long-standing liberal democracies such as the United States. United and India.
Liberalism is a doctrine born in the 17the century, which seeks to control violence by limiting state action. For its proponents, people have the right to disagree on important things – like religion – but they must show tolerance towards their fellow citizens who have different opinions from their own. To achieve this, liberalism advocates equal rights and respect for the dignity of individuals, guaranteed by the rule of law and by a constitutional government controlling the various powers of the state and ensuring their balance.
Among these rights is the right to own property and freely engage in commercial transactions, which explains why classical liberalism has been closely linked to high levels of economic growth and prosperity in the modern world. It is also associated with the natural sciences and the idea that science can help us understand the outside world and use it for our benefit.
Many of these foundations are now under threat. Populist conservatives feel a deep aversion to the cultural openness and diversity that flourish in liberal societies, and they long for a time when everyone professed the same religion and shared the same ethnic origins. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is transforming the liberal India of Gandhi and Nehru into an intolerant Hindu state. At the same time, in the United States, white nationalism is openly touted in some sectors of the Republican Party.
Populists attack the limits imposed by laws and constitutions: Donald Trump refused to accept the verdict of the 2020 election, and a violent mob tried to directly prevent the transition of power by storming the Capitol. Instead of condemning this coup, Republicans largely supported it.
Distrust of science and experts
Liberal values of tolerance and free speech have also been challenged by the left. NOT