Conspiracy theory, the new world order

The term is also used to describe a political concept according to which a community legal order is to be established internationally that brings about collective security. The term was often used in the context of the foreign policy of the great power USA in the 20th century.   Its roots lie in the efforts of then US President Woodrow Wilson to establish the League of Nations with established international law after the First World War as an instrument for mediation in international conflict cases. Over the decades, the term “new world order” continued to appear in new contexts – until today.

Turning point 1989/90 – the path to a new world order Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush brought the term “new world order” back into collective memory at the end of the 20th century when he envisioned an American-led new era of post-Cold War peace in his speech to Congress on September 11, 1990.   This was the starting signal for a renaissance of the concept of world order: the USA assumed the role of an “indispensable nation” in answering global questions and, with its international security policy, established itself as a kind of “world policeman” over the following years.   Internationally, the focus was placed on democracy and liberal values ​​were emphasized. George H.W. Bush was happy to describe the resulting “unprecedented global cooperation” as a credit to U.S. efforts to promote international partnerships and friendships. In fact, the United States exercised undeniable supremacy in international politics. In addition to freedom and democracy, American leadership was considered a main pillar of the so-called liberal world order at the time.

Liberal world order in danger?

The unipolar form of the liberal world order that existed since 1990 has increasingly faltered in recent years. The so-called “Pax Americana” is being intensively pressured by geopolitical rivals of the USA: China and Russia in particular are now taking a confrontational stance towards the USA and are trying to implement their own ideas of order. But emerging powers such as India, Brazil, Turkey, etc. are also increasingly pursuing their own goals.   The liberal world order was dominant for almost thirty years and is considered an essential political and economic engine for progress, especially in democratic countries. At the same time, there has always been criticism of it, particularly in some countries of the so-called Global South.  The post-Cold War order is now changing. This is probably done in favor of a new bi- or multi-polar order. How much of rules-based multilateralism will ultimately remain and how it will adapt to the new balance of power remains to be seen. In particular, Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the associated international shifts could in the future be seen as a focal point for a turning point in international relations.

International humanitarian interventions hardly seem realistic in the future. National interests that are increasingly loudly expressed are coming to the fore. Competition seems to be becoming more important than cooperation – at a time when economic and political cooperation is particularly necessary to address common global problems.   No matter how a future “newer” world order takes shape, one thing is clear: communality will have to be redefined within it.