World Order

World Order, by the renowned diplomat and political scientist Henry Kissinger, is a remarkable portrayal of the evolution of the concept of world order over a 2000-year period. Kissinger’s six decades of experience in global politics along with his deep knowledge of historic events make this book both rich and outstanding.

Titans Medium
Aug 26, 2017 · 4 min read

When asked about the reason for writing his book, Kissinger replied: “What concerns me most today is the absence of world order. For the first time in history different regions in the world are interacting with each other. The reality of the present period is that different societies with different histories are now part of a global system, but they don’t have an agreed upon concept of world order.”

Kissinger envisions world order as a descendant of the Westphalian system that developed in Europe in response to the brutal religious violence of the Thirty Years War. This is the only formal system of world order that has been devised throughout history. The Westphalian system gave states the right to choose their own domestic structure and religious orientation free from any foreign intervention.

The book covers Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. Kissinger starts with Europe, where the sovereignty of state and the balance of power was believed to produce international order. Throughout history, Europe has thrived on fragmentation and embraced its division. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, politicians focused on civil governance and the church as the basis for establishing order. Combining religion and government never actually worked. Cardinal De Richelieu, the chief minister of France, developed the idea that a state was “an abstract and permanent entity” independent from its governor’s personal wills. A concept that established the base for the Westphalian system referred to earlier. While this concept evolved, the pursuit of some sort of a European order as part of a world order continued for decades, but never fully matured. Until today, Europe tussled to have an independent identity. Europe is struggling between overcoming its past and identifying its future.

The Middle East represents the most complex challenge for world order today. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Muslim countries were split between those who entered the state-based international order, separating their religious beliefs from foreign policy, and those who battled to enforce their religious beliefs as a basis for world order. The current conflicts in the Middle East, specifically the growing sectarian conflicts in Iraq, the civil war in Syria, and the growing power of the terrorist group ISIL, represent major challenges for American foreign policy and for the entire world order. Iran’s ambition to develop nuclear weapons is another significant challenge to global equilibrium.

Asian countries pursued strong national agendas post decolonization; most Asian countries based their foreign policy on national interest rather than a balance of power. India continues to base its foreign policy on national interest. China, conversely, expects the existing order to evolve, or even increase its involvement in the international world order. The United States’ involvement in Asia should combine a balance of power with a concept of partnership. The evolution of the relationship between the United States and China will shape the future of any world order.

The United States has always played a decisive and unmatched role in shaping contemporary world order. All American presidents have affirmed the role of the United States in establishing and maintaining order. No other major power in the world has built its strategy with a genuine aspiration for human betterment; nonetheless, America has reached a point, which it has to come to terms with itself regarding its role in searching for a world order. Kissinger emphasizes the importance of striking a balance between American idealism and realism in pursuit of a better world.

Kissinger also dives into changes in technological advancement and how they relate to world order. Technology made the development of nuclear power easier than ever before, adding another challenge to existing balance of powers. Internet technology and cyber risk is a growing concern, especially with the absence of any international agreements or systems of governance. Technology changed the way in which humans interact. Humans have access to more information but less knowledge and wisdom, than ever before. It has become more important to put emphasis on the historical and human context of relationships between states. Kissinger concludes:

“On the way to the first truly global world order, the great human achievements of technology must be fused with enhanced powers of humane, transcendent, and moral judgment.”

The continuous efforts of different world powers to establish world order have produced very fruitful outcomes. However, the world is facing new and unprecedented challenges that need to be addressed. Shifts in the balance of power and the changing definitions of legitimacy are threats for any world order; both are occurring in our time and need to be considered as part of a coherent strategy to achieve world order. The reconstruction of international order is the ultimate challenge of our time.

A link to the full book can be found here. The views expressed are, unless expressly stated, the views of the author or the brief writer, not Titans Of Investing as an organization.

Today’s Titans Brief was written by Malik Alatshan.


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