TryGOLD- Free

Shaping the Emerging World
Outlook|January 21, 2025
Civilisational states will safeguard a multipolar world
- Zorawar Daulet Singh
Shaping the Emerging World

THE decline of the collective West is a theme that has animated historians for the past century. The devastating implosion of old Europe in the first half of the 20th century did indeed bury the formidable European empires. At the same time, it also spiralled the US to dizzying heights after 1945, which then lifted the West along with it to wage a relentless Cold War.

Then, just when the rest of the world was catching up in the 1980s, the Soviet Union disappeared from the scene, providing another dramatic extension to US power. These two tectonic geopolitical shocks paved the way for the US, and thus Western primacy, on a global scale never achieved previously.

In the past two decades, another window of catching up has opened. This time around, the power shifts are real and spread across all domains of power. While the distribution of output and wealth might be uneven within each rising power, the national foundations of the economic and industrial apparatus are robust and yielding growth across a wide swathe of sectors. This also means the political economies are self-sustaining or acquiring that feature, that is, these states have domestic growth drivers and reliable access to strategic commodities that can cushion shocks from elsewhere.

The present pictures of the eight leading economiesGDP, Purchasing Power Parity-would have been unimaginable a generation ago: it includes China, India,

Russia, Brazil and Indonesia. Only the US, Germany and Japan represent the 'West'. The changing structure of global industrial capabilities is equally stark: in 2000, the West accounted for over 70 per cent; by 2030, it is the nonWest that is projected to account for nearly 70 per cent of global production.

This story is from the January 21, 2025 edition of Outlook.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the January 21, 2025 edition of Outlook.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM OUTLOOKView All
Nomadland
Outlook

Nomadland

All eyes are on President-elect Donald Trump and his policy on immigration

time-read
5 mins  |
January 21, 2025
Far from Home
Outlook

Far from Home

We have forgotten the plight of Afghans who fled to India, and continue to suffer

time-read
3 mins  |
January 21, 2025
Bang Bang That Awful Sound
Outlook

Bang Bang That Awful Sound

What happens when we listen closely to the soundscape of war?

time-read
5 mins  |
January 21, 2025
Refugee Dilemma
Outlook

Refugee Dilemma

For most Indian-origin Sri Lankan Tamils, who are victims of ethnic conflict and civil war, proving that they are not illegal migrants is a nearly impossible task

time-read
7 mins  |
January 21, 2025
They Poured Fire on Us
Outlook

They Poured Fire on Us

The resilience of refugee women from Sudan, Ethiopia and Yemen in the face of war and displacement is remarkable

time-read
2 mins  |
January 21, 2025
The Sound and the Fury
Outlook

The Sound and the Fury

Iraqi poet, novelist, translator and scholar Sinan Antoon was born and raised in Baghdad.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 21, 2025
The Day I Became a Woman
Outlook

The Day I Became a Woman

In a country where authorities have been directly engaging in the gruesome war against women for decades, artists like Nahid Hassanzadeh stand apart as a voice of dissent–a haunting reminder of the unwavering spirit of the rebellious Iranian women fighting against the Islamic Republic’s violent crackdown.

time-read
5 mins  |
January 21, 2025
The Kite Runner
Outlook

The Kite Runner

The official figure of civilian deaths in Afghanistan is a serious underestimate. It is unlikely that we will ever know the real cost of Afghan lives

time-read
7 mins  |
January 21, 2025
American Patriot
Outlook

American Patriot

Barring a few exceptions, Hollywood movies continue to be gung-ho about the United States' penchant for waging wars across the globe

time-read
5 mins  |
January 21, 2025
The Hunters
Outlook

The Hunters

How can Bangladesh's fractured society, burdened by layers of trauma, begin to heal?

time-read
7 mins  |
January 21, 2025

We use cookies to provide and improve our services. By using our site, you consent to cookies. Learn more