The recent meetings of the United Nations General Assembly highlighted that the collapse of the international system, formed after World War II, is now a reality. This collapse presents a golden opportunity and various risks for the populations of the Global South, who have long suffered from the system's organized plundering of their resources and support for authoritarian regimes at their expense. Unless these populations fight to build a fair international system that reflects their interests, the same powers that benefited from plundering and oppression will shape it, reinstating the old system with new slogans.
The current international system was created by victorious colonial powers after World War II to serve their interests and maintain their exploitation and plundering of former colonies. Its collapse is complete as it has gone full circle, returning to its original form of direct colonialism, open plundering, and systematic killing. The ruthless capitalism we experience today, which is inherently hostile to people's will and seeks to establish an authority that protects the interests of the wealthy at the expense of the overwhelming majority, is the natural outcome of this international system in its later stages.
The return of the system to its original form has refreshed the memory of the people. Its ugly face, before it wore a mask of civilization and fake concern for humanity, now dominates the scene without disguise. Many were surprised by the statements and actions of Trump, from stealing Venezuela's oil and starving Cuba, seeking to starve and besiege Iran until it surrenders, to threatening to wipe it off the map and raze it to the ground. The Israeli genocide in Gaza, its leveling of the land, and the starvation of its people, then the transfer of the same crime to southern Lebanon and the West Bank, without moving Western governments, after repeatedly talking about civilization and human rights, is not new except for those ignorant of history and geography.
Historical examples illustrate that colonial powers have long used tactics of starvation and terror against civilians. In Algeria, French General Thomas Bugeaud devised a system to destroy the Algerians' means of living, including their land, crops, and livestock. In Namibia, Germany committed its first genocide, killing thousands under colonial rule, which continued under apartheid rule by Dutch settlers. In the Congo, Belgium killed nearly 10 million Congolese and cut off the hands of hundreds of thousands. Even Ireland was not spared from British starvation tactics.
The most dangerous aspect is personifying crimes, attributing them to individuals like Trump or Netanyahu, while ignoring the values and structures that have taken root in their societies and the international system. Those who have studied fascism warn against focusing excessively on fascist leaders and neglecting the role of their populations, which allowed fascism to thrive, as well as the structures and values that made their rise to power seem natural.
The role of populations is crucial. When brutality reaches its peak, it generates strong resistance, as seen today in the West's anger over American policies and Israeli myths. The most important resistance today requires the determination of people with conscience worldwide to build the emerging international system according to their values, not those of the powerful and wealthy who possess weapons of mass destruction.
Ultimately, it is up to the people to create a new international system that embodies their interests and values. This requires a collective effort to resist the prevailing systems of oppression and to advocate for a fairer and more just world order. The current situation presents an opportunity for change, and it is crucial that people around the world seize this opportunity to shape a better future.
Key points
- The international system established after World War II is collapsing.
- The collapse presents both opportunities and risks for the people of the Global South.
- The role of populations is crucial in shaping the emerging international system.
