5.1.5 Failures of Liberalism


"A part of the 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protest, the Kwong Tong March took place on August 24th, 2019. From https://www.flickr.com/photos/29418416@N08/48613325142/. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

The protesters in the photograph are citizens of Hong Kong demanding that liberal democracy be maintained in their country.

Hong Kong is now part of the People's Republic of China, but from the late 19th century until 1997, it was a colony of Great Britain. During the time of British colonialism, Hong Kong developed laws, universal suffrage, and a capitalist economy patterned after Britain. During this time, it became an economic powerhouse and the people appreciated the rights and freedoms of a liberal democracy.

However, the people of Hong Kong are primarily Chinese. Great Britain's "99-year lease" of Hong Kong (and about 50 years of economic interest before that) ended in 1997. China re-gained sovereignty over Hong Kong July 1, 1997. Communist China agreed to allow Hong Kong to retain its laws and autonomy for at least fifty years after the transfer.


Today, although Hong Kong is still a democracy with one of the highest levels of economic freedom in the world, many fear that their liberal democracy will be dismantled by the People's Republic of China whose political system limits individual rights and freedoms both economically and politically.

Imposing Political Systems in the Past

During the Age of Imperialism, the world's great imperial powers imposed their political and economic systems on people all over the world because they believed their own ways were superior to those of the people they conquered. As you learned in Social Studies 10-1 or 10-2, this led to great problems. After World War II, the nations of the world agreed that no nation should have its sovereignty taken away by another nation. All countries should practise self-determination, or the right to control its own destiny. Today, powerful nations continue to insist that others adopt the values, principles, and ideologies that they consider superior.


  • Is democratic liberalism the best political and economic system for all people at all times?
  • Or is the imposition of liberalism by the powerful liberal nations of the world just another form of ethnocentrism ?
  • How would the people of Hong Kong answer that question?

Challenges of Liberalism

Although liberalism may seem the best ideology to many people, it is not without challenges.
  • Your look at Indigenous societies and their collectivist values showed you that many cultures do not believe that individual self-interest is more important than the common interest.
  • Your exploration of the rise of communism in the former Soviet Union showed that liberalism fails when it is not extended to all.
  • The failure of the Weimar Republic immediately before the rise of the Nazi Party in pre-World War I Germany showed that liberalism may not succeed when people are poor or unemployed.
  • The rise of social programs in United States and Canada during the Great Depression indicates that a greater degree of collective interest and responsibility may be a more effective way of dealing with an economic crisis than economic freedom.



Read "Why Can Liberalism Fail" on pages 328 and 329 of your text Perspectives on Ideology.

As you read take notes on the following:
What ideas are presented about the viability of liberalism? 


Image by Thomas Blomberg http://fundforpeace.org/fsi/

Nations are ranked from most to least peaceful:
Blue means 'Sustainable'
Green is 'Stable'
Yellow means 'Potential warning' signs
Orange means 'Possible Alert'
Red means 'Alert' failed state!

Failed States

When liberalism or an identifiable ideology fails and no other political system emerges to replace it, the result is a failed state.

A failed state is a nation that is unable to meet its people's needs economically, politically, and socially. Its government does not represent the will of the people and is unable to control its own territory. Corruption is rampant and security forces are unable to protect the people. Rule of law is limited or does not exist. People may be denied both positive and negative freedoms. The nation is in economic decline.

United States and much of Europe are considered to be in moderate danger of becoming failed states. Why? What does the map show you, if anything, about the viability of liberalism?



"Which Countries Are About To Collapse?", NowThis World, You-tube 

 



"Zimbabwe's Descent Into Anarchy", Journeyman Pictures, You-tube 

 

 



Learn more about current state of the world's most fragile political states. Check out the Fragile States Index (FSI) created by the Fund for Peace and published by foreignpolicy.com