Do we need a New World Order?
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| 17/01/10
Climate change, energy crisis, genocides, religious conflicts and overpopulation are only few examples of a vast spectrum of problems modern world has to solve. The outcry for peace and safety has become louder with each new international conflict. Recent events in Haiti have once again proven the vulnerability and imminent threat for our world order. Is a global empire the right solution for all our woes?
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1. The Shape of Things to Come
The idea of a world government or global empire to preserve peace between nations was already discussed in ancient civilizations and progressed throughout the ages.
Philosophers like Plato or Immanuel Kant, writers like Dante Alighieri, Thomas Hobbes and H.G. Wells imagined either utopian or dystopian societies, a ‘New World Order’ or even a ‘Golden Age’. Meanwhile their ideas of a new world were based on a more humanistic and illuminated nature, authors of the post-World War and modern era like Oswald Spengler predict a more pessimistic future in which economy, or the lack of it, is the dominant factor for shaping our future.
What is a world government in the first place?
A global governance system is a political body that would make, interpret, and enforce law on international level without restrictions. It would require the unification of all civilizations and nations under a global ruling system or a single ruler with cultural and economical power. This unification could be achieved either by peace or by force. Even though only a peaceful union would ensure a long and stable relationship between each nation and between the ruling institute and its people.
Is the idea of such a “Universal State”, endorsed by historian Arnold J. Toynbee, just a science-fiction fantasy? A conspiracy dream of a Cecil Rhodes and Lord Rothschild? Do we need a Global State? A New World Order? Is it desirable? Are people going to accept such a World State? Moreover, what will happen to the United States, China, the European Union and the rest of the world?
2. Hegemony and Empire
Hegemony
The term hegemony (hegeisthai: "to lead") refers to “the ability of a dominant group to exert or maintain control through a combination of overt and subtle mechanisms.”
We have to distinguish between monetary hegemony and cultural hegemony:
Cultural hegemony is a concept by philosopher Antonio Gramsci and describes a culture ruled or dominated by one group or class. Such groups or classes can be politicians, religious leader, monarchs, etc.
Monetary hegemony (or economic hegemony) represents the economic power of a single state and its rule over the functions of the monetary system.
Both can be seen, to a certain extend, as one of the same or even interchangeable. Monetary hegemony is leadership through money, whilst cultural hegemony is leadership through certain people. A strong interdependence between money and people makes it almost impossible to exclude one from the other.
Empire:
The Oxford English Dictionary describes an empire (lat: imperium, from imperare ‘to command’) as “an extensive group of states ruled over by a single monarch or ruling authority” or “a supreme political power” as well as “a large commercial organization under the control of one person or group”.
Through the ages the world has seen many empires come and go. In most cases, an empire represents the pinnacle of a civilization. The average life span of an empire can be between 100 to 500 years.
3. A World Divided
At the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century new global players have emerged and defined world economy.
Since the end of World War II, the United States has gained not only a monetary hegemony but also a cultural hegemony. After Europe’s fall into oblivion, America has become “The West”. America has created modern society, as we know it. Needles to say, this kind of position has its price. Foreign policy has never been in favour of the United States. Interventions with Cuba, Iran, Vietnam, Iraq and Nicaragua are only few examples of a ruthless foreign policy. The Middle East crisis with Israel as satellite state and relations with North Korea do the rest.
The European Union is not a new global player but an old one. The EU has hardly the will and certainly not the resources to regain any new strength. The EU is not revitalization but a crutch for exhausted and tired nations.
Britain has lost its hegemony. Like Australia and Canada, Britain has become just another partner under the protectorate of the United States.
Japan is still crippled when it comes to military power, even tough it is one of the five richest nations on this planet.
For many, China is on his way to become a new giant, a very hungry giant. Experts believe that China’s economic growth can ascend the nation to a new leading superpower. Some of those experts have already set a date: 2025.
Liebig's law of the minimum will ensure a rude awakening for those experts.
Africa has no real power. It is used as “resource whore” for wealthy nations and with all the turmoil and civil wars not stable enough to be a powerful global force.
South America is choking on its own troubles and drugs and Russia has proven to be a persevering but unreliable factor.
Some major issues of all those global players are energy, nuclear weapons, religion, political ideology and climate change.
The situation in the modern world, or even the post-modern world, has been described as “Clash of Civilizations”.
4. America – The Lost Empire
History likes to repeat itself. David R. Henderson points us to some similarities between Britain’s hegemony of the past and America’s hegemony of today. Henderson is using Adam Smith’s accurate observations about the instability of an empire:
“A great empire has been established for the sole purpose of raising up a nation of customers who should be obliged to buy from the shops of our different producers all the goods with which these could supply them. For the sake of that little enhancement of price, which this monopoly might afford our producers, the home-consumers have been burdened with the whole expense of maintaining and defending that empire. For this purpose, and for this purpose only … a new debt of more than a hundred and seventy millions has been contracted over and above all that had been expended for the same purpose in former wars. The interest of this debt alone is not only greater than the whole extraordinary profit which it ever could be pretended was made by the monopoly of the colony trade, but than the whole value of that trade….” (1)
Unlike the former British Empire, the USA has no colonies to maintain. But like Britain, America has military expenses to meet. No other country in this world could compete with America’s military budget. The budget of the United States Department of Defense for year 2009 was up to $663.8 Billion. Additionally, the United States are facing a federal debt of more than $12 trillion.
Admired or despised by the rest of the world, America has many enemies and many allies. It is impossible to deny America’s supreme position and its role as ruling hegemony. Calling the United States an empire might go too far for some people but imperialism is certainly the political path the government has gone to achieve and maintain its leading position. But even empires as mighty as America have an expiration date. America’s hegemony can only be put to an end either by its own economy or by nature; or both together.
5. Decline of the West
In many cultures, buildings have a symbolic meaning. The Colosseum in ancient Rome was an epicenter for entertainment and the pyramids in Egypt are symbols for the wealth and power of Pharaohs. The destruction of such constructions can be interpreted as a bad omen.
Both events, the Reichstags fire in 1933 and 9/11, can be seen as such signs. A sign for the end of an era and the beginning of a new order. The Reichstag (Parliament) was a symbol for democracy and was destroyed with fire, shortly after Hitler ruled in Germany. The World Trade Center was a symbol for global commerce. Like the Twin Towers, the world economy is about to collapse and so will the West.
German historian and philosopher Oswald Spengler, most famous for his book “The Decline of the West”, described a cyclic theory about rise and decline of civilizations. Spengler does not speak of empires but distinguishes between culture and civilization. According to Spengler, a civilization is the end stage of a culture. It is no longer creative and growing.
Civilizations possess certain characters. The Western Civilization is a "Faustian"- Civilization.
The “Faustian” spirit of the West can be seen in the enormous technological advantage. Progress in science is the driving motivation for Western Nations. Like Goethe’s Faust, we have an insatiable thirst for knowledge.
Reasons for the decline and fall of a civilization are manifold.
Some say the Roman Empire failed because of its decadent leaders, insane Caesars or the inefficient Senate, others may blame the barbarians. Other internal and external factors responsible for a decline are: an aggressive foreign policy, tax increase, unrest in colonies, overstretched military forces or loss of civic virtue among its citizens.
We can see that the US is afflicted with these symptoms.
Another problem is the Dollar. The current economy is dominated by the United States but the Dollar is no longer backed by the gold standard. The stability of the currency depends on the oil flow.
“Today, like the currency of most nations, the dollar is flat money, unbaked by any physical asset—i.e., a holder of a Federal Reserve note has no right to demand an asset such as gold or silver from the government in exchange for a note. Instead, the currency is backed by future claims to wealth of American taxpayers and other income sources of the Treasury.” (2)
Consequently, America has to keep the oil price stable at all costs. A task destined to fail.
America’s position as leading hegemony is about to end. The sudden void could bring the rest of the world out of balance. The USA still holds the position of a global stabilization but when America will decline neither the European Union nor China, Britain or Russia would be economically and militarily capable enough to fill the power vacuum. After the downfall of America’s hegemony, a new powerful global institution has to replace the United States as fast as possible; otherwise the world will mangled by other global players and ultimately fall apart.
6. Kingdome Come
America, with all the economical and political problems and enemies, is not sufficient enough to take the role as unifying global force.
Let us assume the West with the rest of the world will be transformed into a Universal State. How will this Universal State succeed?
People have to see themselves as citizen of the world, a united global society aiming for a common good. Blind chauvinism will be abolished. But this new appreciation must not be forced with military power. Only an incorruptible event can unite people.
A new global consciousness requires a proper ruling government. This New World Order will not be ruled by a nation or a country but by an institution. The United Nations would be sufficient for the task. Unfortunately, corruption, incompetence and the lack of real authority prevent the UN from taking advantage of its full potential.
 A Universal State does not necessarily mean progress into an omnipotent super-institution with totalitarian control, but it can also mean a step back to old traditions. Consequently, the end of this civilization would bring many of us back to a rural or urban lifestyle. An empire with community traits. Population would decline and a revitalization of faith would be initiated. Spengler’s winter will turn into a new spring.
A future Global Empire or Global Community is inevitable. The cyclic and progressive nature of world history does not allow any other conclusion. The old world has outgrown its usefulness. But the question is not ‘if’ or ‘when’ a New World Order will happen. The question is rather, ‘what kind’ of New World Order will rule?
Note:
(1) From Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, ed. Edwin M. Cannan, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, Ibid., Volume Two, Book IV, Chapter VIII, p. 180. (2) Kotlikoff, Lawrence (2006). Is the United States Bankrupt? Federal Reserve Bank (St. Louis).
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