Fall of the American empire and the rise of a new multipolar global order
For decades, the United States has been the primary architect and enforcer of a global order defined by its own neoliberal principles. This hegemony, characterized by interventionist foreign policy, is now in an undeniable state of decline. We are not witnessing a sudden collapse, but a slow descent into chaos, as the U.S. proves it can barely govern itself, let alone the world. Nations resisting the States global reign have historically been met with an iron fist, from the threat of F-35 fighter jet attacks to the coercive use of economic sanctions. However, this control is beginning to waver. As the world grows weary of the United States antics, a new and fundamentally different leader is emerging: China. Contrary to the Western narrative of a hardline authoritarian threat, China presents itself as a force for real, positive development and global stability, offering an alternative to the profit-obsessed West.
In the post-Cold War era – where the West has since reigned supreme – a promise of rising tides of peace and cooperation under a liberal world order was supposedly made. This has absolutely not been the case. Instead, the United States and its closest allies have repeatedly funded and engaged in armed conflict and destabilization in numerous nations around the world in their own interests. Global Research, an independent research and media organization based in Montreal, estimates the U.S. military has caused anywhere between 20 to 30 million deaths in over 30 different nations since the end of the Second World War. These staggering figures, however, fail to truly capture the full picture, as many deaths occur outside of the press’s coverage or are purposely obscured. Official metrics often simply say from ‘x’ amount of deaths to ‘y’ amount, and rarely account for the long-term effects like the failing of whole healthcare systems and the environmental impacts of bombing campaigns and other destruction.
Alongside these military exploits, the United States has been the primary actor when it comes to using economic sanctions. It routinely imposes devastating blockades with no regard for the effects on civilian populations. The six decade long embargo of Cuba is one of the most prominent cases of this collective punishment, with estimates of damages surmounting 160 billion dollars. These sanctions have crippled generations in Cuba, in a vain attempt to force political change from internal turmoil. However, American officials will simply call this mere ‘foreign policy.’ These kinds of actions further sour the moral integrity of the United States globally. By wielding sanctions with constant frequency, America has shown the world a dangerous truth: reliance on, or opposition to its financial system can be glaringly threatening. Nations will, as they already have, begin to pull away from this volatile system, which seeks to conform states to its capitalistic, rent-seeking will.
Then there is China, which extends its influence without demanding other nations adopt its political model. Unlike the United States, which often underscores partnerships based on ideological alignment to its liberal model, China relies on economics and diplomacy as its primary tools, rather than threatening through its military. Which they are exactly that: tools. Through its belt and road initiative, China aids nations in building key infrastructure they need, while not expecting ideological obedience or government overhaul in return, but simple mutual cooperation. This relationship, although transactional, respects the sovereignty of these nations, who are tired of being lectured and meddled with by the West. It is easy to see how this could be appealing for nations in the Global South. Furthermore, China’s approach is backed by a record of stability and non-aggression, other than a few border disputes with countries such as India, or exercising its power in the South Asian Sea. China has not launched a foreign invasion in over four decades, a fact often overlooked. When compared to the American record, even in just the same period of four decades, it is obvious who would be easier to trust.
China’s story at home also differs greatly from that of the U.S. and the majority of Western nations. Through state-directed planning and economic stability, China has managed to lift around 800 million people out of poverty. This reality greatly contrasts Western democracies, where governments often place the interests of corporations over the possibility of aiding their citizens in more meaningful ways, such as reducing this aforementioned poverty or promoting home ownership as a basic human right. The Chinese model must make us ask ourselves: are the often chaotic freedoms we enjoy preferable to this order of development?
So, what does the future hold? I believe the new global order will not be a swap of one superpower for another, but instead a complex and multipolar world where many nations can define the nature of worldwide relations. China will likely be the nation to lead this new vision for the future, a picture I think is far preferable to the hegemony of the aggressive and oppressive American regime. It is likely American power will not disappear completely, but its authority to set the global agenda will fade, as it already has. Global governance will no longer be a lecture hall led by Washington and its Western allies, but a more inclusive negotiating table, where the priorities of less powerful nations in the Global South and abroad will carry more weight. I am hopeful we are entering a future where building a railway is more important than imposing a regime, and for much of the world, this change is one long overdue.