Status of the Individual as a Subject of International Law: The Debate Between Neoliberalism and Neoconservatism

Abstract

Whether an individual could be treated as a subject in the international law system is a controversial topic for a long time. In earlier periods, individuals were constantly regarded as an objects rather than a subjects in the international law system. However, with the development of globalization and protection of human rights, the status of individuals in the scope of international law has been continuously strengthened. Neoliberalism and Neoconservatism are two highly influential political ideologies in the current world. Neoliberalism advocated global market integration, while neoconservatism deputed state-centric security. These two ideologies have shaped today’s international politics and global economy since the 1970s. However, the influence of neoliberal and neoconservative thought on the status of the individual in international law is rarely explored. Although both ideologies claim to support individual freedom, their core principles and administration tactics are fundamentally different. The current essay focus on analyzing different perspectives between neoliberalism and neoconservatism on the status of individual under current international law system with method of literature review of case study.