The world order is on the verge of change: is the dominance of Western civilization coming to an end?
The world order is on the verge of change: is the dominance of Western civilization coming to an end?
Throughout the history of mankind, different cultures have replaced each other.
For example, Rome, which initially controlled only a small part of the Apennine peninsula, gradually expanded its territory by conquering neighboring tribes and cities. By the end of the 4th century, Rome, which had become a large empire due to the victory in the war with the Carthaginian state and other invasions, underwent profound changes. The empire was divided into two - western and eastern parts. This affected not only the religious concepts, but also the art, architecture, literature and daily life of the people living in both parts of the empire.
This is true for most of human history. Today, most of us may know that wars and conflicts have changed the lines on maps, but at the same time, we must not forget that they have also affected our culture and values.
For example, in the post-Cold War period, the rise of the English language and its primacy in the world was felt through the "entertainment" means of the West based on foreign ideas - movies, music, sports, and the "art" built on obscenity. This corruption undermined the natural cultural development of many societies, deepened the gap between generations and redefined social concepts and values.
Such a sharp change in the cultural flow had a profound effect on the perception of the peoples formed as a result of social conflicts, wars and evolutions lasting hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
Nevertheless, popular political theories such as "clash of cultures" and "the world is on the brink of a great war" in the 90s of the last century seem doubtful today.
Such thinking was promoted not by logic but by political expediency, and it was precisely the ideas that were inculcated during the collapse of the Soviet regime, the first Iraq War, and subsequent western militarism in Asia, the Middle East, and the South.
Associating violent acts with lofty and noble words like civilization meant bringing old slogans and anti-Islamic ideas like European "civilizing mission" and "American freedom" back to the world.
In the end, their dark intentions failed. More precisely, the copper of the idealized Western civilization and human relations came out.
At the moment, the world is on the verge of reshaping. Signs of this can be seen in the world-shaking events.
Before the Russo-Ukrainian war, the war between the weakening empire - the United States and the newly emerging power - China had already begun in a sense.
According to Samuel Huntington, who wrote about the clash of civilizations and the new world order, both countries are examples of "Syn civilization" that combines Western and Eastern civilizations.
Nevertheless, neither Barack Obama's subtle approach nor Donald Trump's populist style have been able to deepen this supposed clash of civilizations. Relations between China and the rest of the world were built on the basis of economic interests.
Even Washington's European allies, who rely on China's trade and technological progress, are reluctant to join a trade war against Beijing, fueled by the preservation of shared Western values and other similar rhetoric.
On top of that, the war that broke out in Gaza ushered in a whole new picture of international relations that almost didn't exist before October 7.
It is noteworthy that those who are demanding justice today, from Namibia to South Africa, from Brazil and Colombia to Nicaragua and many other nations that have no religious, racial, geographical or even cultural affinity with the Palestinians, do not express their solidarity with Gaza based on their cultural identity.
Today, mass protests against Zionist oppression continue across Europe and North America.
Usually, those who seek to unite different nations and peoples around economic and political interests and military power use any means to achieve their goals.
However, global opposition to such views of scientists and chauvinist politicians is growing day by day. The war in Gaza reveals the true face of today's world leaders, shattering Huntington's theory and proving that humanity unites for justice, not civilizations.
Muhammad Dawood Asadullah,
Azon Global expert