A new world order is coming
https://arab.news/48x5u
Our world is slowly but surely becoming more disorderly. While the Biden administration, like its immediate predecessor, sees China and Russia as the biggest threats to the existing so-called liberal world order, most of the countries around the world are loath to concur. On the contrary, they see particularly in China a rising power that, despite its authoritative underpinnings, may help save the world from growing inequities and injustices.
The liberal world order is now increasingly considered exploitative-- one that has drifted far away from its ideological moorings. The West is seen to have failed the world in many fundamental ways as blinkered nationalistic and populist tendencies are crowding out liberal democratic values and principles. In general, the international system that evolved following the second World War has not lived up to expectations and has failed to deliver on many counts.
First, whereas the West led by the US continues to harp on liberal democratic values, it repeatedly fails to transcend its narrow national interests whenever push comes to shove. What is happening to Palestinians and Kashmiris only reaffirms the moral bankruptcy of Western democracies. Callous insouciance at the official level speaks volumes of their inherent prejudices. No wonder, they do not tire of reprimanding China on the issue of Uyghur Muslims.
Second, economic exploitation of the poor continues. The Bretton Woods System is a tool to reinforce neo-colonialism. From Argentina to Pakistan, we have seen how the IMF has gathered expertise at tightening the noose around people with its brutal lending preconditions. Resultantly, poverty alleviation has become a distant dream for IMF-stricken economies.
Third, multilateralism has become a farce over the decades. International conventions and frameworks are used and abused in pursuit of political agendas. For instance, putting Pakistan on the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in June 2018 when the country was in the middle of general elections could hardly be justified.
Moreover, powerful countries flout their international obligations and quit painstakingly negotiated multilateral frameworks with impunity. For example, the US under the Trump administration withdrew from the Paris climate change convention and then rejoined it as decided by President Biden.
In short, the existing world order has lost its credibility and effectiveness. However, there are no clear answers on how to fix it. Even reforming the United Nations has become quixotic.
The West is seen to have failed the world in many fundamental ways as blinkered nationalistic and populist tendencies are crowding out liberal democratic values and principles. In general, the international system that evolved following the second World War has not lived up to expectations and has failed to deliver on many counts.
Abdul Basit
Attaining consensus on most international issues, even on global challenges such as combating the coronavirus pandemic, seems like a wild goose chase. The rest of the world driven by nationalist and capitalist agendas does not care how developing countries will get out of the pandemic quagmire. Commitments made at the recently held G20 and G7 summit meetings are unlikely to come true any time soon.
It seems the world is moving apace towards another interminable Cold War though this time without Churchill’s ‘iron curtain.’ The world is now far more complex than it was in the 1940’s. Mutual dependencies even between the US and China are realities that cannot be easily dispensed with. However, as China continues its steady march towards attaining superpower status, confrontation may not be avoidable.
In order to prevent the world from descending into irredeemable chaos, the US and other Western countries need to stomach the fact that China has been able to provide real answers to contemporary challenges. Its system has worked miracles, lifting millions of its people out of wretched poverty. And its Belt-Road Initiative, despite some flaws and hiccups, is seen by most developing countries as panacea to their socio-economic problems.
The Western world must understand that their credibility is at its lowest given both their imperialist past and their neocolonial present. They have themselves failed the idea of liberalism. People around the world desperately need solutions to their quotidian problems. China’s authoritarianism may not be inspirational but it is definitely delivering to millions both in the country and around the world.
China is so far playing the ball reasonably skilfully. It has not yet challenged the fundamentals of the existing world order and is confident that as it marshals more and more ‘smart power,’ its global clout will continue rising accordingly. It is not in haste to declare victory. It has learnt to coexist and co-opt.
The question, however, remains if the US and its allies have learnt from its past and present mistakes. It must learn to accommodate opposing ideologies rather than fighting for their extirpation. Needless to emphasize, the world does not need another protracted but futile Cold War.
In any case, a new world order cannot be engineered and imposed. All said and done, the world will continue undergoing changes, and ideas will continue inspiring people.
It remains to be seen if the idea of China with its unique politico-economic balance sustains and gains global traction or succumbs to Western pressures or unbridled nationalistic tendencies.
Uncertainties abound. For years to come, the world is destined to be volatile and unpredictable; an orderly world is looking ever more utopian.
– Abdul Basit is the president of Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies. He was previously Pakistan's ambassador to Germany and Pakistan's High Commissioner to India.
Twitter: @abasitpak1
