'The power of the pen': Liberalism's ethical dynamic and world politics

While the role of 'publicity' in establishing a mechanism of ethical develo pment is axiomatic to liberal political theory, its actual and potential si gnificance as an agency for the ethical development of world politics is la rgely under-appreciated. However, recent cases such as the Brent Spar campa ign, the landmines treaty, and the rise of 'ethical consumerism' suggest th at the liberal conceptualisation of a 'publicity-reflectivity' mechanism, i n the context of certain medium and long term political and technological d evelopments, is operational and generating an ethical dynamic to world poli tics. Moreover, when this actually existing dynamic is considered in the co ntext of an information and communication order that operates far short of requirements of equity (in terms of distorted opportunities for access and participation, concentrations of ownership, and the reproduction of cultura l hegemony), the potential capacity for ethical development latent in world politics could be further realised through channelling greater political e nergy to the global information and communication order.