Sanções econômicas no campo de construção de paz: da hegemonia ao declínio liberal

Abstract

Economic sanctions are inherent to human political life within the confines of the nation-state and reflect the particularities of international relations in each historical context. Until the 20th century, economic coercion remained inseparable from military conflict; however, its role was reshaped with the rise of multilateralism and liberalism as proposed by the United Nations Charter. In light of this, the present thesis aims to analyze the use of economic sanctions in the processes of formation, consolidation, and decline of liberal hegemony in peacebuilding efforts, especially since 1945 to 2022. A qualitative approach, both descriptive and explanatory, was proposed to identify and understand the different applications of economic coercion over time. Following a bibliographic and documental review, it was noted that sanctions hold two coexisting and sometimes conflicting roles: maintaining liberal hegemony in the international system, as employed by Western powers, and serving as a state and security “self-help” mechanism against power asymmetries posed by other states, which non-liberal actors continued to use. In this sense, economic coercion remains relevant even amid the shift from liberalism to authoritarianism in the peacebuilding field.