This chapter provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of democracy within the post-Cold War international order. At first glance, the question may appear nonsensical, as the two concepts pertain to distinct domains. Democracy refers to the internal organization of sovereign political communities, whereas the concept of international order refers to the relationships between these very communities. Yet, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the notion of liberal democracy as a universal standard for international legitimacy gained traction and began shaping the discourse and actions of the United States and its allies. Drawing on literature addressing the formation of the modern state system and its legal foundations as well as considering the ongoing process of economic globalization, this chapter highlights the inherent contradictions of this approach. It does so through a systematic critique of the concept of cosmopolitan democracy, as articulated by David Held.