The Position and Consequences of Security in Liberal Political Thought
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2022-08-08
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en
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Abstract
Security is increasingly becoming the primary, trumping value in current political
agendas and therefore is a key issue for political theory. This paper argues that as a
concept, security is central in both classic and contemporary liberal political thought. In
establishing security as its most fundamental principle, liberal thought is susceptible to
potential authoritarian restrictions of liberty grounded in security logic. Following a
discussion of the historical development of the security concept up until current
debates around securitisation and the liberty/security balance, this paper aims to
deconstruct security’s pivotal position in liberal theory. Through examining liberal
thought from social contract theorists, Locke and other classical liberals to
contemporary thinkers, the key and problematic nature of security reasoning becomes
clear. This paper then turns to contemporary theorists of security, both from within and
outside the liberal paradigm, to find strategies which may counteract the authoritarian
tendencies of liberal security thinking. In doing so, the strengths and weaknesses of
rejuvenated philosophical engagement and critical perspectives of security are laid
bare. In concluding, this paper finds that multiple strategies could be applied
symbiotically to best alleviate liberal thought from the authoritarian potential of its
inherent need for security.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen