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Legitimacy challenges to the liberal world order: Evidence from United Nations speeches, 1970–2018

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Kentikelenis, Alexander  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1543-4595
Voeten, Erik 

Abstract

Abstract: The liberal international economic order has been facing high-profile legitimacy challenges in recent years. This article puts these challenges in historical context through a systematic analysis of rhetorical challenges towards both the order per se and specific global economic institutions. Drawing on Albert Hirschman’s classic typology of exit, voice and loyalty, we coded leaders’ speeches in the General Debate at the UN General Assembly between 1970 and 2018 as articulating intentions to abandon elements of the order, challenges or calls for reform, unequivocal support, or factual mentions of cooperation. Surprisingly, we find that explicit criticisms towards the liberal order are at an all-time low and that exit threats remain rare. An analysis of the historical evolution of criticisms to global economic institutions reveals a move away from the Cold War insider-outsider conflict towards insider contestation. For example, we find that as countries’ economies become more open, their leaders expressed more support for global economic institutions during the Cold War but less support since. Finally, we demonstrate consistency between the public policy positions leaders announce in UNGA General Debate speeches and their government positions on consequential reform debates on debt relief.

Description

Funder: University of Cambridge

Keywords

Article, Liberal world order, Global governance, United Nations, Legitimacy, World Bank, IMF, WTO

Journal Title

The Review of International Organizations

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1559-7431
1559-744X

Volume Title

16

Publisher

Springer US