Multi-Polar World We Are Living

Multi-Polar World

We are living in a world of multi-polarity and the notion of existence of superpowers is neither here nor there. Opinions have been advanced to the effect that the United States and the U.S.S.R. were the superpowers in the cold-war era. Some political commentators also asserted that the United States became an undisputed world superpower when the U.S.S.R. disintegrated in 1991. These propositions are subject to debate. As at this time there are complex economic interdependence on international stage that have been occasioned by globalization and the concept that a state can gain enough power to become a superpower is next to impossible. In fact, the notion that the United States and the U.S.S.R. were superpowers in the cold war error cannot hold because they actually heavily depended on countries in their spheres of influence. It is for fact that the United States possesses great economic clout and it has influenced the culture of many nations (Thompson, 1988).

However, the United States economy is still dependent on foreign investment. Their reliance on foreign trade has created mutual economic dependence between them and the developing world (Mansfield, 1993). The United States cannot therefore claim to be a superpower when it is not self sufficient as it still relies on the international community for its economic sustainability. Interdependence also overlaps into the spheres of diplomacy. World affairs continue to be more and more complex as developing nations innovate with a view to bettering their military might. This state of affairs has made it extremely difficult for countries like the United States to engage in foreign policy that is not acceptable to other nations. This is a testament to the fact that diplomatic and economic factors bind the globe together and no country can decide to act unilaterally lest it suffers a backlash.

After the September 11th terrorist attack the Bush Administration reverted to constructive relations with European and Asian allies to put an end to mutual recriminations over Iraq and begin working together on issues of common interest. The United States refined its diplomatic approaches as envisaged in its new diplomatic push to the six party talks on North Korea and its visible support to European Union sanctioned negotiations with Iran.

Geopolitics has slowly but surely tilted away from a world dominated by Europe and the United States to one with many regional powers but no global leader. The world economic meltdown has ushered in a new crop of economic powerhouses like Brazil, China, and India (Sachs, 2012). Brazil's economic prosperity is owed to its capability to stabilize its currency and create a stable macro-economic environment including credible monetary and fiscal policies. It has become a powerful commodity exporting country with a diversified economy that attracts massive foreign direct investment and portfolio capital. Brazilian exporters have diversified trading partners.

The emerging economies have come to the rescue of world leading economies with their financial bailouts. This they have done on condition that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) increases their voting share by around 6%. This is an indication that emerging economies are now demanding even greater share power. The United States spirited objection to joining IMF bail out fund characterized by the Congress increased embrace of isolationist economic policies is an indication that the U.S. is no longer a superpower as people initially believed. In fact, its share of global GDP which was 25% in 1980 declined to 19% in 2011 (Sachs, 2012). It is projected to hit a record low of 18% in 2017. By this time, China shall have overtaken the United States economy in absolute size.

With the emergence of BRICS and smaller powers like Nigeria and Turkey we no longer live in a uni-polar but a multi-polar world. The United States has since shifted to free riding mode in global leadership. It currently excuses itself from global cooperation when it comes to climate change, IMF financial bailout packages, global development assistance targets, and other spheres of international collaboration.