In a 2019 interview with the Financial Times, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Western liberalism "obsolete". He is not alone. The death of the West's ideological mainstay, is being discussed by everyone, from former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, to Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, and high-profile journalists including Edward Luce and James Traub. Authoritarian China is ascendant. Free trade, the rule of law, freedom of movement and tolerance are in trouble around the world. So, has the cluster of ideas known as Western liberalism had its day?
No, western liberalism is needed more than ever.
Western liberalism is a cornerstone of healthy democracy.
Alternatives to Western liberalism are dangerous ideologies
A rising authoritarian tide is threatening Western liberalism. And looking even further afield to spread its wings across the world.