Emerging from crisis and the war in Ukraine, the “Global West” is finding its limits. In China’s case, it strives to use its rise to further extend its influence in order to limit European influence.
In recent years we have witnessed the “Global West” – a term that is used to describe North America, Western Europe and Japan – being threatened by a number of outstanding geopolitical crises. These include the Arab spring, the EU crisis and the Ukrainian war.
The Western goal of “global governance” is underway, but it may not succeed. Despite the effort and billions of dollars spent in the effort, there are inherent weaknesses to global rule that can be exploited by either challengers or opponents.
The world has become increasingly international, and competition is increasing from China’s rise as a leading global power.
The “Global West” is experiencing its share of challenges as it strives to maintain its position of superiority. The war in Ukraine, China’s rising economic power, and the threat of terrorism are among the common themes that unite “Global West” nations.
The “Global West” is by no means unified but it is finding its limits. Just as it does not have a common fundamental value system above all others, its members are also able to compete with each other at a strategic level.
This book presents a detailed and critical analysis of the concept of “Global West.” It provides a framework for understanding the current and future nature of economic competition with China. This book advances the discussion about Westphalianism and global governance in order to identify limits for this type of global governance. In addition, it explores emerging fault lines between the West and East, as well as within the West itself.
The “Global West” as a term developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s to refer to the Western nations that resisted Soviet rule, which included countries like Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Bulgaria. While initially referring only to Europe’s struggle against communism, the term has evolved since to include the US and Japan as well.
