Readings Week 7

NOTES ON
Sorensen, Georg (2007) After the Security Dilemma: The Challenges of Insecurity
in Weak States and the Dilemma of Liberal Values, Security Dialogue 38(3): 357378.

From security dilemma of conflict btw states to insecurity dilemma in weak/failing states
Main argum classical security dilemma is in decline among post-modern and modernising states
o Increasing respect for the principle of territorial integrity, decreasing number of

interstates wars since WW2

Negative liberty is autonomy, self-determination, ability to act unimpeded by others

requirement of non-intervention
Positive liberty implies the removal of obstacles that stand in libertys way: oppression, poverty,
tyranny requirement for intervention

The rise of the Insecurity dilemma

Current state of underdevelopment in Sub-Saharan states

Characteristics of weak states
o Defective economy lack of coherent national economy, capable of sustaining a
basic level of welfare for the population
Mono-economies based on the export of one or few primary goods
o Lack of a coherent national community
No real substance of citizenship in the form of legal, political and social
rights
o Lack of effective and responsive state-institutions
State elites in weak states face no serious domestic or external challenges
civil society is too weak and divided to question their rule; the international
community would try to respect the principle of sovereignty irrespective of
the state of underdevelopment of the newly independent/post-colonial

countries
BUT state elites vulnerable in front of other rival groups (eg. militaries)
because of their lack of political will and resources to accommodate rival

groups demands
Insecurity dilemma populations in weak states fearing their own governments search
for security motivates groups to try to control the state or secede if state neutrality cannot be

assured
Insecurity dilemma - compared to traditional security dilemma
o Sense of threat is domestic
o State lacks capacity to provide internal peace and order

o No popular support for the regime, existence and security interests of the regime are
seen as illegitimate
o Primarily identification is with communal groups contending for their own security
The Value dilemma negative and positive freedom
When the institution of sovereignty was globalised in the context of decolonisation, a regime
of negative freedom was established
o BUT weak states negative freedom of self-determination (and non-intervention)

often means insecurity and violence for those states citizens

Liberal Value dilemma
o Liberalism of Restraint (respecting negative freedom) does nothing to alleviate the
insecurity dilemma in weak states because it upholds the principles of nonintervention and sovereignty
o Liberalism of Imposition (enabling positive freedom) undermines what it seeks to
achieve. It resembles an Imperialistic form of Liberalism that removes the local
responsibility for own affairs, which is the very condition of freedom, and paves the

way for illiberal counter-reactions against such paternalistic behaviour.

The 2005 Danish cartoons affairs newspaper publishing offensive representations of
Prophet Mohammed eg. of clash btw Liberalism of Imposition (upholding the value of
free speech irrespective of how this may offend some religious groups) and Liberalism of
Restrain (abstaining from publishing the representations and thus avoiding ridiculing belief

systems based on non-liberal values)

Efforts aimed at providing assistance for state-building in weak states have gradually eroded
local institutional capacity Fukuyama

The US national security strategy

Tensions born from the commitment to both liberalism of restraint and liberalism of
imposition not imposing the same form of democracy and human freedom in all countries

BUT working to advance liberty and justice for all people everywhere.
Huntington Western belief in the universality of liberal values is false, immoral and
dangerous; Western intervention in the affairs of other civilisations is a source of instability
and potential global conflict

A Liberal World Order

Decline of security dilemma is great news for liberals

BUT, as shown, a balanced liberal world is a contradiction in terms uneasy compromises
btw liberal values must be achieved at all times