Abstract
Most international relations (IR) scholars are unaware of the richness of the liberal tradition. Classical liberalism is largely absent from liberal IR theory and consequently so are its ideas about fostering individual liberty in the international environment. Classical liberals do not expect conflict and war to be abolished. These should be dealt with by the state. The classical liberal world is one of a state-based international society, with little room for most current international organisations and regimes. Nationalism, free immigration and development aid do not fit the classical liberal view on international relations either. This is made clear by an analysis with a focus on the writings of Mises and Hayek, who stand in a wider tradition originating in (Scottish) Enlightenment thought, most notably of Hume and Smith.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ashworth, L. M. (1999). Creating International Studies. Angell, Mitrany and the Liberal Tradition. Aldershot: Ashgate.
Ashworth, L. (2014). A History of International Thought. From the Origins of the Modern State to Academic International Relations. New York/London: Routledge.
Barry, N. P. (1987). On Classical Liberalism and Libertarianism. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Bauer, P. T. (1971). Dissent on Development. Studies and Debates in Development Economics. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
Bauer, P. T., & Yamey, B. S. (1957). The Economics of Under-Developed Countries. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Berry, C. J. (1986). Human Nature. Basingstoke: Macmillan.
Brennan, J. (2012). Libertarianism. What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Brown, C. (2010). Practical Judgement in International Political Theory. Selected Essays. London and New York: Routledge.
Bull, H. (1995). The Anarchical Society. A Study of Order in World Politics. Basingstoke/London: Macmillan.
Conway, D. (1995). Classical Liberalism, the Unvanquished Ideal. Basingstoke: Macmillan Press.
Coudenhove-Kalergi, R. (1944, May 2). RE: Letter to Ludwig von Mises.
De Jasay, A. (1998). The State. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund.
Dicey, A. V. (1982). Introduction to the Law of the Constitution. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund.
Easley, E. S. (2004). The War over Perpetual Peace. An Exploration into the History of a Foundational International Relations Text. New York/Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Epstein, R. A. (1995). Simple Rules for a Complex World. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Epstein, R. A. (2003). Skepticism and Freedom, a Modern Case for Classical Liberalism. Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press.
Freeden, M. (2015). Liberalism. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hayek, F. A. (1948). Individualism and Economic Order. Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press.
Hayek, F. A. (1966). The Misconception of Human Rights as Positive Claims. Farmand II, 32–35 (Hoover Institution Archives, Hayek Papers, Box 108, Folder 12).
Hayek, F. A. (1967). Studies in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Hayek, F. A. (1968). A Self-Generating Order for Society. In J. Nef (Ed.), Towards World Community. The Hague: Dr. W. Junk N.V.
Hayek, F. A. (1978). Letter to the Editor. The Times. 9 March
Hayek, F. A. (1982). Undated, Most Likely June or July (Hoover Institution Archives, Hayek Papers, Box 31, Folder 16). RE: Letter to Teddy Kolek.
Hayek, F. A. (1993). The Constitution of Liberty. London: Routledge.
Hayek, F. A. (1997). Socialism and War. Essays, Documents, Reviews. The Collected Works of F.A. Hayek, volume X. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Hayek, F. A. (1998). Law, Legislation and Liberty. A New Statement of the Liberal Principles of Justice and Political Economy. London: Routledge.
Jackson, R. H., & Sørensen, G. (2003). Introduction to International Relations. Theories and Approaches. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Jahn, B. (2013). Liberal Internationalism. Theory, History, Practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Jørgensen, K. E. (2018). International Relations Theory. A New Introduction. London: Palgrave.
Jørgensen, K. E., Alejandro, A., Reichwein, A., Rösch, F., & Turton, H. (2017). Reappraising European IR Theoretical Traditions. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Keene, E. (2005). International Political Thought. A Historical Introduction. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Lang, A. F. (2015). International Political Theory. An Introduction. New York/Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Leoni, B. (1961). Freedom and the Law. Los Angeles: Nash Publishing.
Little, R. (2007). The Balance of Power in International Relations. Metaphors, Myths and Models. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Mack, E. (2018). Libertarianism. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Mearsheimer, J. J. (2018). The Great Delusion. Liberal Dreams and International Realities. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
Panke, D., & Risse, T. (2007). Liberalism. In T. Dunne, M. Kurki, & S. Smith (Eds.), International Relations Theories. Discipline and Diversity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Polanyi, M. (1998). The Logic of Liberty. Reflections and Rejoinders. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund.
Rasmussen, D. B., & Den Uyl, D. J. (2005). Norms of Liberty. A Perfectionist Basis for Non-Perfectionist Politics. University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press.
Richardson, J. L. (1997). Contending Liberalisms: Past and Present. European Journal of International Relations, 3, 5–33.
Röpke, W. (1998). A Humane Economy. The Social Framework of the Free Market. Wilmington: ISI Books.
Ryan, A. (2012). The Making of Modern Liberalism. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Sally, R. (1998). Classical Liberalism and International Economic Order. Studies in Theory and Intellectual History. London: Routledge.
Tomasi, J. (2012). Free Market Fairness. Princeton/Oxford: Princeton University Press.
Van de Haar, E. R. (2008). David Hume and International Political Theory: A Reappraisal. Review of International Studies, 34, 225–242.
Van de Haar, E. R. (2009). Classical Liberalism and International Relations Theory. Hume, Smith, Mises, and Hayek. New York/Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Van de Haar, E. R. (2010). The Liberal Divide over Trade, War and Peace. International Relations, 24, 132–154.
Van de Haar, E. R. (2011). Hayekian Spontaneous Order and the International Balance of Power. The Independent Review, 16, 101–118.
Van de Haar, E. R. (2013). David Hume and Adam Smith on International Ethics and Humanitarian Intervention. In S. Recchia & J. M. Welsh (Eds.), Just and Unjust Military Intervention. European Thinkers from Vitoria to Mill. New York/Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Van de Haar, E. R. (2015). Degrees of Freedom. Liberal Political Philosophy and Ideology. New York/London: Routledge.
Van de Haar, E. R. (2019). Fostering Liberty in International Relations Theory: The Case of Ayn Rand. International Politics, 56, 1–16.
Van Der Vossen, B., & Brennan, J. (2018). In Defense of Openness. Why Global Freedom Is the Humane Solution to Global Poverty. New York/Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Von Mises, L. (1983). Nation, State, and Economy. Contributions to the Politics and History of Our Time. New York/London: Institute for Humane Studies & New York University Press.
Von Mises, L. (1984). The Historical Setting of the Austrian School of Economics. Auburn: The Ludwig von Mises Institute of Auburn University.
Von Mises, L. (1985). Omnipotent Government. The Rise of the Total State and Total War. Grove City: Libertarian Press.
Von Mises, L. (1990). Economic Freedom and Interventionism. An Anthology of Articles and Essays by Ludwig von Mises. Selected and Edited by Bettina Bien Greaves. Irvington-on-Hudson: The Foundation for Economic Education.
Von Mises, L. (1996). Liberalism. The Classical Tradition. Irvington-on-Hudson: The Foundation for Economic Education.
Von Mises, L. (2000). Selected Writings, Volume 3. The Political Economy of International Reform and Reconstruction. Edited by Richard M. Ebeling. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund.
Wall, S. (2015). Introduction. In S. Wall (Ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Liberalism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Walter, A. W. (1996). Adam Smith and the Liberal Tradition in International Relations. In I. Clark & I. B. Neumann (Eds.), Classical Theories of International Relations. Houndmills: Macmillan Press.
Young, O. R. (1989). International Cooperation. Building Regimes for Natural Resources and the Environment. Ithaca/London: Cornell University Press.
Zacher, M. W., & Matthew, R. A. (1995). Liberal International Theory: Common Threads, Divergent Strands. In C. W. Kegley Jr. (Ed.), Controversies in International Relations Theory. Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
van de Haar, E. (2021). Classical Liberalism and IR Theory. In: Jørgensen, K.E. (eds) The Liberal International Theory Tradition in Europe. Trends in European IR Theory. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52643-6_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52643-6_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Pivot, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-52642-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-52643-6
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)