Francis J. Gavin
The contemporary world order is poorly suited to today's dynamic, changing international system, a disparity that lies at the heart of our current sense of crisis. What will the state of world order be 10, 15, 20 years from now? Any analysis of world order and its future is only as good as the underlying assumptions it is based upon. I offer five.
The first assumption involves defining terms clearly. ‘World order’ does not mean the same thing as the ‘international system’, though these terms are often used interchangeably. Nor is world order the same as ‘theories of international relations’. The international system describes how the world works: what are its features and characteristics, principal drivers, dangers, constraints, actors and opportunities that shape global affairs. Some suggest it is shaped by unchanging, structural and material forces, whereas others believe the international system shifts over time and can be altered through political interventions.
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