Decentred International Order

Why in news?

Recent studies report that China aims to attain global supremacy through its economic and military capacity by outrunning U.S.

What is the history of International Order?

• In the 14th-15th century, Europe began to colonise and influence nations across the world through trade and commerce.
• Later various attempts were made to propel freedom struggles against western-centric perspectives.
• It was the Bandung Conference of 1955-a meeting of newly independent Asian and African states- set the schema for the rise of Asia, politically and economically.
• The third world countries struggled to create a parallel order forgoing imperialism and colonialism.

What are the dents in American Supremacy?

• Though U.S. plays a prime role in international affairs, its image of representing universal brotherhood has sharply declined.
• Erstwhile U.S. President threatened to withdraw from NATO, Paris Agreement, had racist obsession and his handling of immigrants has left the democratic world shock.
• There was rising tide of far-right ultra-nationalism and ethnic purity which was seen in the Brexit phenomena that has set in motion of wearing down the liberal democracy.
• Other threats such as terrorism, ethnic conflicts necessarily demanded joint international action where American exceptionalism becomes incompatible.
• This has chipped away the American global supremacy.

What is China’s approach?

• China is spearheading Asian regionalism but there is deep scepticism because of its self-enhancing economic and military greed.
• Its self-centered promotion of building its own stature- Belt and road initiative- has provoked a clash with India and Japan.
• So it must embrace multilateral affiliations and not create regional tensions.
• It is a world leader in renewable energy and a formidable actor on the global stage of investment and trade.

What can we infer from this?

• The world is now witnessing multifaceted transnational threats and needs a collective universal attention.
• The fragmentation of global governance consequently can no longer be handled solely by America.
• Thus, a more nuanced understanding of power in the circumstance of the declining authority of the West has to be arrived.
• The global power now gradually extends across a wider range of countries for a balanced world order.
• This allows for a multiple narratives to co-exist on the international level.
• The challenges of the 21st century can be met through mutual sharing of knowledge and more ground-breaking inclusive treaties.
• It is feared that there could be a possibility of a multipolar world turning disordered and unstable.
• But it is up to the rising nations to attempt to overcome territorial aspirations and the appeal of each society in terms of its democratic values.
• This requires a significant programmatic agenda in the hands of the developing nations.

Source: The Hindu