Emerging Threats to Liberal Values

Abstract

The values of individual security and the responsibilities of states as laid down in the 1994 UNDP human development report have changed the face of social and political interactions in the 21^st century, as liberal movements and shared norms pave the way for understanding while diplomacy and economic development keep the peace. These new liberal values have created a new paradigm that establishes the needs of the individual as a basis for peace. However, threats have emerged to challenge this new paradigm. These threats range from emerging populist leaders to the rigid nature of bureaucratic institutions unable to shift along with developing social and political norms. This paper examines the importance this new liberal paradigm and its link to human security, theorising why human security has become an important concept in political theory and real politick, and examines why the threats are a dangerous precedent.