Globalism and Totalitarism in the 21st Century: A Pessimistic Assessment (In the Short Term)

Abstract

The international system is in a situation of great uncertainty, in which the influence of sovereign nation-states has been dramatically weakened. There are many other important actors wielding power in the system: independent economic actors with enormous amounts of capital; non-state armed actors (including transnational organized crime groups and terrorist entities); an exponential increase of more than 5,000 intergovernmental organizations and around 25,000 international non-governmental organizations. This evolution is the logical result of the gradual development of scientific and technological growth throughout history, accelerating after the industrial revolution of the 1860s. Obviously, we cannot minimize the great influence of philosophical, political, and economic thought that occurred in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. While it is true that globalization began centuries ago, the links between human beings in the 21^st century made possible by advances in communication technologies are truly extraordinary. In the short term, totalitarian actors have the advantage, but in the long term, freedom will win.