Is Democracy Promotion A Mask For Hegemonic Power

Is democracy-promotion a mask for hegemonic power? Should liberal democracies impose their principles, values and ideals upon less democratic states? Hegemony is the concept meaning primacy of the leading state over the subordinate states without the use of any direct forms of violence (invasion, occupation or annexation). Many scholars in international relations have tried to find an answer to these questions, but they are still open to a much debate and discussion. Liberals believe that democracy promotion is an essential action from more prosperous states in order to achieve international peace and protect human rights. However, realists claim that democracies promote their values and principles in order to fulfill their national†¦show more content†¦Democratic Peace Theory is another example of how liberals prove that the spread of democratic principles is beneficial. M.W Doyle and R.J. Rummel came up with this theory in the end of the 20th century, which posits that dem ocracies are hesitant to start a conflict with other democracies. â€Å"When the citizens who bear the burdens of war elect their governments, wars become impossible† (Doyle, 1986, p.1151). The reason of this theory is that liberal state that individuals, without the help from the government, are naturally very similar. Democracies are favourable in the setting environment where ideas of progress and liberty are common. Peace has to be established through diplomacy and war only used against authoritarian and undemocratic states in order to maintain the peace in the state system. The main example of the relevance of the theory is Europe Peace. Europe was the bloodiest continent on Earth for many centuries, but since 1945 because of the increased integration and cooperation there were no general wars between European states themselves. Liberals also mention the importance of the creation of collective security – institutions, which would be a legal framework for interac tion in order to promote democratic values. Neo-liberals, such as Joseph Nye or Robert Keohane argue that