Report - Standard Deviation - Views on Western Double Standards and the Value of International Rules: Sophie Eisentraut / Munich Security Council

 

"Standard Deviation" explores the growing accusations of Western double standards and their impact on the international rules-based order. The report argues that these accusations have become a proxy debate about the value of universal rules and principles themselves. Western governments face a dilemma: ignoring these accusations could lead to cynicism about the rules-based order, while engaging with them could strengthen opponents of international rules.

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The report highlights that the accusations of double standards have become more vocal and widespread, particularly following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Israel's war in Gaza. Governments in the Global South argue that Western states often deviate from their professed foreign policy principles or follow them inconsistently. This has led to growing cynicism about the idea of universal rules and principles themselves.

The report analyzes survey data from nine populous countries in the Global South to understand public opinion on these issues. The key findings are:

• People in the Global South do not see Western states as disproportionately rule-abiding, but they are far from homogenously perceived.
• The US and European governments need to reduce inconsistencies that conflict with demands for greater global justice and inclusion.
• They must be more honest when their ability to be consistent meets its limits, abandoning the binary depiction of rule-breaking versus rule-abiding states.
• Western states can push back against the notion that an order characterized by double standards is preferable to one without standards.

The report concludes that Western states must listen more attentively to other governments' accusations and better understand how the double standards debate is playing out in public opinion. By addressing these issues, they can help strengthen the international rules-based order and promote greater global justice and inclusion.