Republican internationalism: the nineteenth-century roots of Latin American contributions to international order

Abstract

Although Latin America plays a minimal role in debates on the 'liberal international order', scholars recognize the region's influence on international law, norms, and institutions. We contend that these Latin American contributions to international order spring from a tradition of 'republican internationalism', rooted in the region's domestic political traditions and practices. Republican principles such as the separation of power, association, and the rule of law had important corollaries in Latin American international relations, including sovereign equality, confederation and regional cooperation, and international law and arbitration. These republican internationalist ideas shaped Latin America's diplomatic traditions and its contributions to international order in the nineteenth century and beyond. Attention to republican internationalism and Latin American contributions demonstrates how actors beyond the North Atlantic shaped the origins of international order. This study also advances debates on the sources of the liberal international order by demonstrating the distinctive influence of republican ideas and practices.

Histories of the nonprofit and philanthropic sector

“…Dominant narratives of the evolution of transnational associations tend to consider their roots in late nineteenth century Europe, with the Red Cross and International Workingmen's Association being established in Geneva and London respectively in the 1860s, and a wide range of transnational women's, labour, humanitarian, educational, professional and peace societies, among other sectoral associations being established across Europe from the 1870s (Lyons 1963;Boli and Thomas 1999). However, similar cross-border associationalism was also to be found in other continents, notably in South America, where 'republican internationalist' ideals played a significant role (Long and Schulz 2021).…”

Reversing the Gaze: Can the EU Import Democracy from Others?

“…Reversing the gaze starts with the broader recognition that democracy has long been a global experiment. The historical role played by various regions of the world in shaping contemporary international law, norms and institutions remains to be studied in depth (Long and Schulz, 2022). Fast forwarding to the 21st century, we offer a few examples of where some of the most productive influences from Europe's ‘elsewhere’ might lie.…”

Beyond the dominant voices: Unveiling Latin American perspectives on the international order

“…Diplomatic efforts were focused on securing recognition of their independence, defining territorial borders, and establishing diplomatic relations with other countries. The region defended a tradition of republican internationalism, led by figures like Simón Bolívar, Andrés Bello, and José María Samper, to protect newly independent and vulnerable states from Iberian colonial domination (Long & Schulz, 2022). Post-World War II, Latin American governments participated actively in the establishment of the United Nations (UN), displaying significant presence during the 1945 San Francisco Conference and the formulation of the UN Charter, thus fostering the Westphalian narrative supported by international recognition of sovereignty principles (Fajardo, 2021).…”

“…Still, it is essential to underscore the existence of noteworthy literature in this regard. Many studies concentrate on post-WWII Latin American engagements with the international order, with early research by Fajardo (2021), Long (2020), Rodriguez and Thornton (2022), Sikkink (2014), and Thornton (2022), while others explore primarily pre-WWII Latin American interactions with the international order, such as Finnemore and Jurkovich (2014), Long and Schulz (2022), and Scarfi (2022). Much of the literature centers on Latin American civil society organizations and social movements, which have significantly contributed to promoting global normative frameworks, particularly in areas like gender, social, environmental, and intercultural justice (Keck & Sikkink, 1998;Lorca, 2023;Pousadela, 2013Pousadela, , 2019.…”