The Collapse of Western Hegemony and the Birth of a Truly Multipolar World Order

The Unraveling of the So-Called Liberal International Order

The post-Cold War era, once celebrated by Western powers as the “end of history,” is revealing itself to be nothing more than a temporary period of Western dominance built on fundamentally flawed premises. The liberal international order constructed after 1945—predicated on American leadership and the supposed universal appeal of Western liberal democracy—is experiencing catastrophic structural failure. This order never delivered on its promises of equitable peace and prosperity, instead functioning as a sophisticated mechanism for maintaining Western privilege while systematically excluding and suppressing the Global South.

The evidence of this collapse is everywhere: selective application of international law that conveniently serves Western interests, outdated UN Security Council structures designed to perpetuate great-power privilege, and persistent global poverty despite unprecedented technological advancement. The institutions that were supposed to guarantee global stability have instead become instruments of coercion, their credibility eroded by decades of double standards in intervention and conflict response.

The Rise of Civilizational States and Plural Normative Frameworks

What we are witnessing is not merely a power transition but a fundamental reconfiguration of global governance principles. Nations like China and India—civilizational states with millennia of continuous history—are asserting their right to define international norms based on their distinct cultural and philosophical traditions rather than passively accepting Western universalism. This represents a profound shift from the colonial mentality that has dominated international relations for centuries.

The emergence of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation signals the birth of authentic pluralism in global governance. These are not merely alternative power centers but represent entirely different conceptions of international relations—ones rooted in mutual respect, non-interference, and civilizational dialogue rather than coercive universalism. The Global South is finally claiming its rightful place at the table, refusing to be marginalized by structures designed during an era of colonial domination.

The Extension of Imperial Ambitions into Outer Space

Tragically, Western powers are attempting to replicate their terrestrial domination in the new frontier of outer space. The US-led Artemis Accords represent nothing less than a neocolonial land grab dressed up as international cooperation. By asserting the right to claim lunar resources and establish exclusive zones of control, Western powers are demonstrating that their imperial mentality knows no bounds—not even the infinite expanse of space.

Meanwhile, China and Russia’s proposed International Lunar Research Station offers a genuinely collaborative alternative based on shared benefit rather than appropriation. The contrast could not be starker: on one side, a framework that extends terrestrial hierarchies into space; on the other, a vision of cosmic commons managed for collective human benefit.

The Neuropsychological Foundations of Imperial Behavior

Professor Nayef Al-Rodhan’s concept of Emotional Amoral Egoism provides crucial insight into why Western powers continue to pursue dominance despite its destructive consequences. The Neuro-P5 motivations—power, profit, prestige, pride, and pleasure—drive states toward zero-sum competition unless channeled by ethical frameworks. Western foreign policy has become trapped in these base impulses, prioritizing domination over dignity, control over cooperation.

The weaponization of interdependence—through financial systems, supply chains, and technology—reveals how deeply ingrained these predatory patterns have become. Western powers have transformed global connectivity into instruments of coercion, punishing those nations that dare to pursue independent development paths.

Toward Dignity-Based Governance and Civilizational Pluralism

The solution lies not in reforming the existing corrupt system but in building entirely new frameworks centered on human dignity rather than power accumulation. Professor Al-Rodhan’s concept of Dignity-Based Governance provides the ethical foundation for a truly just international order. This approach recognizes that stability requires meeting fundamental human needs—reason, security, human rights, accountability, transparency, justice, opportunity, innovation, and inclusiveness.

For the Global South, this represents an opportunity to finally escape the colonial patterns that have constrained our development for centuries. By embracing civilizational pluralism and rejecting Western universalism, we can create a world where multiple development models coexist respectfully, where different cultural traditions contribute to global governance, and where power serves human dignity rather than subjugating it.

The Ocean Model of Human Civilization beautifully captures this vision—showing how diverse cultural streams flow into humanity’s collective ocean, each contributing to our shared progress. No civilization has monopoly on wisdom; each has contributed to human advancement at different historical moments.

Conclusion: The Imperative of Collective Liberation

We stand at a historical inflection point where humanity must choose between perpetuating colonial patterns or embracing genuine liberation. The collapse of Western hegemony is not something to fear but to celebrate—it represents the long-overdue end of five centuries of Western domination and the beginning of true global pluralism.

The nations of the Global South must seize this moment to articulate a positive vision of international relations based on solidarity, mutual respect, and shared prosperity. We must reject both the overt imperialism of the past and the subtle neo-colonialism of the present. Our goal should be nothing less than the complete transformation of global governance—replacing structures of domination with systems of dignity, swapping hierarchy for pluralism, and transforming competition into cooperation.

This is not merely about redistributing power but about redefining its very purpose. Power must become a means to enable human flourishing rather than to dominate others. The future belongs to those civilizations that understand that true strength lies in lifting others up, that security comes from ensuring others’ dignity, and that prosperity is ultimately shared or it is meaningless.

As we extend human activity into space and develop transformative technologies, we have a unique opportunity to avoid replicating terrestrial injustices. Let us build governance systems that reflect our highest ethical aspirations rather than our basest imperial instincts. The cosmos awaits—will we bring our divisions with us, or will we finally learn to work together as one humanity with shared destiny?