‘Liberal democracy and Western countries are not synonymous’: Professor Subedi OBE, KC debates at the prestigious Oxford Union
At the end of January 2025 the Oxford Union held its second debate of the Hilary Term, debating the proposition, ‘This House Believes that Liberal Democracy has Failed the Global South.’
The Oxford Union debating society has in its storied history hosted luminaries such as Mother Teresa, Albert Einstein, HH the Dalai Lama, Malala Yousafzai, and Stephen Hawking. The School of Law’s Professor Surya P. Subedi’s contribution to this high-profile debate is an honour which cements his reputation as an international law expert.
Professor Subedi (Honorary Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford) was part of the opposition, which included Luxembourg’s Ambassador to the UK and former Ambassador to the European Union, Georges Friden, and former US Ambassador, Kurt Volker.
Supporting the proposition were Member of Parliament (MP) Brendan O’Hara, Federal Pakistani Minister of Planning, Development and Reform, Ahsan Iqbal, and Professor of Economic Policy Professor, Stefan Dercon.
Professor Subedi argued that the spread of liberal democratic principles and practice to the Global South has resulted in the widespread advancement and protection of fundamental human rights.
In his opinion, a key element of liberal democracies is the protection and advancement of human rights agenda. The spread of liberal democracy to the Global South has led to huge success in expanding the protection and advancement of the types of human rights taken for granted in the UK, and in establishing global norms.
He believes that there are shortcomings in the implementation and enforcement of human rights all around the world, but that the human rights agenda – particularly that set out by the United Nations – has set the standard, made people around the globe aware of their rights, and galvanised them into action to assert and defend these rights.
The second point he made was that the introduction of liberal democracy in countries in the Global South has provided structure and targets in governance in such countries. He states:
Liberal democracy gives us a framework, a structure, and a reference point to work towards good governance.
His third point is that we should not mistake the concept of liberal democracy as being something gifted by the West or the Global North, to the Global South. The concept of and even the practice of liberal democracy has in part been shaped by actions of countries in the Global South.
He phrases it thus:
Liberal democracy and western countries are not synonymous. Western countries have no monopoly over the idea of liberal democracy. Many countries in the Global South are examples of thriving liberal democracies.
He argues that, contrary to popular perception that human rights are a gift of ‘the West to the rest’, much of the current international human rights agenda is led by the countries in the Global South and many of the rights that have now become part of international human rights law is largely due to historic efforts of movements originating in the Global South. Therefore, liberal democracy in itself has been partly shaped from positive change and action in the Global South, and these developments have served countries in the Global South well.
Professor Subedi is a member of the Centre for Business Law and Practice
