About Notes on Globalism
A new genre of political analysis has emerged over the past decade: ruminations on the death of the liberal international order. Some of these eulogists are distraught — they believe this order has contributed to a remarkable level of global stability, integration, and prosperity over the past three-quarters of a century, and they’re sad to see it go. Others have crashed the funeral to celebrate the end of what they call “liberal hegemony” — an era in which powerful democracies like the United States forced their rules and values on weaker countries, while globalization destroyed jobs and undermined national sovereignty.
What many supporters and critics of the liberal international order can agree on is the idea that we’ve entered a postliberal age — an age of nationalism, populism, and anti-institutionalism; an age of global dissolution.
I’m not so sure. It’s true that the resurgence of nationalist authoritarianism on both sides of the Atlantic, a rising China, and the largest conflict in Europe since World War II have placed immense strain on liberal democracies and institutions. But it’s also true that powerful countervailing forces are resisting these pressures: the democratic world is fighting back against Russian imperialism and aggression, voters in the United States and Europe are losing their patience with illiberal populist demagogues, and the structural weaknesses of totalitarian states like China are becoming more apparent by the day.
So what is the liberal international order? It’s the system of alliances and institutions — such as NATO, the UN, and the EU — established after World War II to ensure that there wouldn’t be a World War III. The word “liberal” denotes that powerful democratic countries have always been the key pillars of this order, though there are many exceptions (China and Russia are permanent members of the UN Security Council, for instance). Beyond the establishment of formal institutions, the liberal international order is the product and engine of many economic and political developments: the embrace of free trade and open markets, the spread of democracy, shifting norms around human rights and state behavior, and the recognition that many urgent issues require global coordination.
The liberal international order has always had enemies, but they have become louder and more influential in recent years. Britain’s decision to leave the EU and the election of Donald Trump were both repudiations of the liberal international order. The populist left regards this order as an imperial project that primarily serves the interests of global capital and the American war machine. The populist right expresses contempt for the “globalists” who allegedly privilege the interests of their fellow international elites — members of what former Trump advisor Steve Bannon describes as the “party of Davos” — over the citizens of their own countries.
The word “globalist” has become a term of abuse, despite the historic victories of globalism over the past 75 years — from the success of European integration to the victory over communism in the Cold War to the unprecedented economic growth fueled by globalization. In this Substack, I’ll argue that the attempts to malign globalism ignore these successes and fail to recognize that globalism isn’t just politically desirable — it remains inevitable. I’ll also make the case that globalists have more reasons for optimism than they — and their adversaries — often assume. I hope you will help me strengthen and refine this case, even if you strenuously disagree with my premise. Because the effort to build a true international community is the most important political project our species has ever undertaken.
Who am I? A writer and editor who has been published in Quillette, The Bulwark, Haaretz, The Daily Beast, and many other outlets. My book How Hitchens Can Save the Left: Rediscovering Fearless Liberalism in an Age of Counter-Enlightenment was published in February 2023. I’ve written about many subjects over the years, including foreign policy, religion, free expression, right- and left-wing authoritarianism, identity politics, film, global poverty, and effective altruism. You’ll hear from me on all these topics, especially as they relate to my general theme of globalism and its enemies.
This Substack will evolve in the months to come, but for now all the content I publish will be free.
While I’ve been privileged to make my living as an independent writer for many years, I miss the personal interactions that come with working at a daily paper. What I’m most excited about is the opportunity to learn from readers and build a community around a shared commitment to the liberal idea — especially in the context of the effort to create a functioning global civil society. There’s no better platform for this project than Substack, so I hope you’ll join me.
