The West and the Rest

1. The West and the Rest

2. 3 main themes: • The world’s cultural diversity in the age of globalization – does it breed conflict and impede cooperation? • The distribution of power in the world system • Organization of societies in the world system

3. 3 main perspectives: • liberal • conservative • radical

4. Francis Fukuyama, the liberal view – the world is increasingly integrated on the basis of Western liberal ideas

6. Samuel Huntington, the conservative view – the world is divided into civilizations which tend to come into conflict; the Western experience is unique

8. Immanuel Wallerstein, the radical view – the world capitalist system has a core and a periphery

9. The Smart Stitch • http://www.theonion.com/content/video/new_portable_sewing_machine_lets

10. The first civilizations arise in the South and the East – the West is “barbarian”

16. Levels of human development, UN Human Development Report, 2010

17. Slavic Orthodox Western Japanese Sinic Islamic Hindu Latin American Sub-Saharan African Contemporary civilizations, according to S. Huntington

18. Distribution of power, economic and political • Development of the modern state • Capital accumulation on a global scale • Result: • In the Modern Age, the West emerged as the core of the world system • The past 500 years – the age of Western dominance

19. 2 perceptions of the West • The West as modernity and progress • Development of more effective and successful forms of social organization • The West as aggressor and exploiter • Ruthless exploitation of the Rest, backed up by military superiority Challenge to the Rest • Adopt Western ways – and accept Western domination • Fight for liberation from Western control; protect your civilization; try to redistribute world power more equitably

20. Power in the global markets Three quarters of all transnational corporations are based in North America, Western Europe and Japan Ninety-nine of the 100 largest transnational corporations are from the industrialized countries

24. The loss of languages: of 6,500 only 3,000 remain: http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/linguistics/endangered.jsp

25. What happens with globalization • Nation-states lose their ability to control the economy • A single global hierarchy of wealth and power is created • The West remains the core of the global system • What happens in the periphery?

26. There is Africa at the bottom – ironically, with the highest level of public support for capitalism • But the periphery is also the place of Rising Powers • Each of them has used its own policies of development • The West vs. Rising Powers?

27. The global power shift: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N4ZCq9BJ2A

28. The Rise of China: • http://www.theonion.com/content/video/china_celebrates_its_status_as

29. Western colonialism was overthrown in the 20th century • Colonial empires were replaced with new independent states • But in a globalized world, the West retains positions of dominance • As more and more non-Western countries embrace democratization, will democracy undermine Western positions there?

30. The West is dependent on the Rest • Domination is increasingly difficult • The Global War on Terror fiasco • The global economic crisis • Western prescriptions are often rejected • Western confidence is shattered • The global power shift to BRICs

31. The global society • Integrated - and divided • Power relations in the global political economy – who owns and controls it • Cultural differences and common challenges:

32. Prospects • Divisions or unity? • Conflict or cooperation? • The liberal globalist perspective: • Globalization, for all its problems, makes the world safer and more prosperous • Danger of de-globalization and fragmentation of the world system into competing blocs • A new world order can be created through collective efforts of states to manage the global system

33. A conservative perspective • Nations compete, the West is challenged, new wars are likely • Geopolitical conflicts • The West will remain distinct • The West must struggle to maintain its hegemony and advantage • Peace and security can be achieved only through Western strength and unity

34. Radical perspectives: globalist and nationalist • Globalist • The main axis of conflict in the world is not between the West and the Rest, but between global capital and global labour • Organizing workers everywhere, building solidarity of the oppressed • Struggles for democracy, human rights, disarmament, ecological recovery – everywhere • The goal – a world order based on democracy and justice, to be achieved through either reforms or revolutions

35. Nationalist • Agrees with the radical globalist vision, but emphasizes the role of nation-states as key instruments in the global struggle for a new world order • National sovereignty vs. global control • Economic nationalism (protectionism) • Preservation of national identity, defence of national interests