Huntington's Clash of Civilizations and the East/West Divide

Introduction: Culture as the Root of Global Conflict

In The Clash of Civilizations, Samuel P. Huntington claims that cultural differences will be the greatest source of conflict in the 21st-century world — more so than economics or political ideology. Huntington notes, "the fundamental source of conflict in this new world will not be primarily ideological or primarily economic. The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural." Prior to World War One, most culture clashes took place regionally, such as those between various European tribes. During the 20th century a new type of culture clash emerged: one that would reveal the deep chasm between East and West. Framing the world in terms of East and West indicates how important this division is in defining cultural identity.

The East/West division is indeed one of the most evident and most potent conflicts in the world, and has been for several centuries. Ussama Makdisi, in "Anti-Americanism in the Arab World: An Interpretation of a Brief History," points out how the rift between East and West defines global politics and informs global economic policy. The East/West divide provides a cogent explanation for why the world is the way it is in the 21st century. However, the division of the world into East and West is simplistic and obscures many of the ways Eastern and Western civilizations have merged due to increasing economic interdependence.

Limitations of the East/West Framework

The East/West binary does not account for the obvious differences between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. For example, South American nations are "Western" in many respects but share more in common with "Eastern" cultures in terms of colonial histories and economic underdevelopment. Moreover, dividing the world into East and West overlooks the clashes within those arbitrary zones — such as between India and Pakistan, or within single African nations torn apart by civil war.

The United States' political alliances with some but not all countries in the Muslim world further proves that Eastern and Western civilizations share more in common than they appear to on the surface. What defines one culture from another may have more to do with economic and political alliance than with shared customs and values. The United States' culture differs significantly from Spain's, which differs from Sweden's — yet all three nations are grouped together with Canada, Mexico, and Brazil as part of "Western" civilization.

Culture Clash in Practice: The Balkans and Beyond

In some ways, Huntington's argument does sum up why civilizations clash and why those clashes can come to a head in military turmoil. The recent conflicts in the Balkans illustrate how culture clash can determine the face of global politics in the 21st century. For the most part unrelated to economic or political differences, the Balkan conflicts were driven mainly by cultural antagonism. Just as racism has defined domestic politics in the United States, xenophobia has defined international foreign policy throughout the world.

William Dalrymple discusses the East/West divide in a more optimistic and romantic light. Pointing out the ways Eastern cultures — such as that of the Mughals — influenced Western cultures like that of England during the colonial period, Dalrymple shows that Eastern and Western civilizations can learn much from each other and overcome conflict through mutual respect and tolerance. On the other end of the spectrum, Ussama Makdisi assumes a more pessimistic — and possibly more realistic — standpoint. Conflict between West and East cannot be easily overcome because of the lingering legacy of colonialism and imperialism.

Conclusion: Beyond the Clash of Civilizations

Esposito and Makdisi illustrate the sources of conflict that are at the root of global terrorism: colonialism and imperialism. The domination of the East by the West has led to mutual mistrust. Disparities between rich and poor countries are creating unlikely alliances between Western nations like Venezuela and Eastern ones. Transcending cultural differences, nations that form political alliances for economic reasons often do so out of necessity — to counterbalance the power heavily vested in the wealthy G8 nations. With such political clout, the G8 nations can influence global political and economic affairs in ways that poorer nations cannot.

Huntington's view that culture clash is the main source of global conflict in the 21st century seems narrow-minded and naive when compared with Esposito's and Makdisi's more thorough investigation of the reasons for anti-Americanism and anti-Islamism. The conflict between East and West is real, and the political upheavals that surface — such as September 11 — show how important culture clash between West and East truly is. However, economic and political ideologies will remain central factors in the future history of the world.

Works Cited

Huntington, Samuel. "The Clash of Civilizations." 1993.

Makdisi, Ussama. "Anti-Americanism in the Arab World: An Interpretation of a Brief History."