Abstract
This paper examines the historical evolution, institutional foundations, and contemporary challenges facing the Liberal International Order (LIO)— from its conceptual origins to its current state of crisis. Through an analysis of the Power Transition Theory and historical precedents, the study traces the LIO’s development from the Atlantic Charter of 1941 through its post-Cold War universalization to its present-day fragmentation. The research identifies three core components of the LIO—security order, economic order, and human rights—and examines how these evolved through distinct phases: the bounded post-World War II order and the expansive post-Cold War liberal hegemony. The paper argues that the LIO’s twilight stems from contradictory and uneven application of its principles, rising nationalism and protectionism within Western democracies, and the counterproductive effects of liberal interventionism. The analysis reveals that, while the United States established and championed this order, its own selective engagement with liberal institutions has undermined the order’s legitimacy and effectiveness. The study concludes that the LIO faces an existential crisis characterized not merely by external challenges from rising powers, but by internal contradictions and the hegemon’s own retreat from multilateral commitments. This research contributes to understanding how international orders rise, institutionalise and decline, offering insights relevant to contemporary debates about global governance and the future of multilateralism.
Keywords: Liberal International Order, Global Order, Great Power Competition, US-China Rivalry
