After Liberal Hegemony: The Advent of a Multiplex World Order with Amitav Acharya
Overview
Speaker: Amitav Acharya, Distinguished Professor of International Relations at American University
Interviewer: Adam Read-Brown, Editor of Carnegie Council's journal "Ethics & International Affairs"
Main Thesis: The liberal world order was never truly global; we are now entering a "multiplex world" characterized by multiple influential actors and complex interdependence.
Key Concepts
Liberal Hegemony
The US was a hegemon after WWII but not as dominant from the 1980s onward.
Post-Cold War optimism about US-led liberal order was misplaced.
Decline of US hegemony doesn't necessarily lead to chaos.
Institutions created post-WWII are changing but not disappearing.
Liberal Order
Often perceived as rule-based, open, and anchored in multilateral institutions.
Emphasizes economic interdependence, free trade, promotion of democracy, and liberal values.
Critique: It's a Western club, not truly global; elements of coercion and intervention are overlooked.
Current Challenges to the Liberal Order
Donald Trump's Presidency:
Punditry and anxiety over world order.
Trump's policies seen as a consequence of, not a cause for, decline of liberal order.
Challenges include skepticism of multilateral agreements like NATO, TPP withdrawal, and America First policies.
Role of Emerging Powers
BRICS nations are in a dilemma: benefitting from the order but desiring reform.
China steps in as a champion of globalization, supporting certain aspects of the liberal order like trade.
Emerging powers don't accept the liberal order under US hegemony but want to reform it.
Multiplex World Order
Concept: A "decentered" world with no single hegemonic power.
Features:
Multiple consequential actors beyond states, including non-state actors and multinational corporations.
Complex global interdependence.
Regional orders and institutions play significant roles.
Implications for Global Stability
Multiplex order doesn’t mean disorder; it involves negotiation among different orders.
Stability is not solely dependent on US hegemony.
Emerging powers play constructive roles in maintaining order.
The shift in globalization dynamics with increased South-South interactions.
Conclusion
The liberal order will persist but in a modified form, competing with other orders.
Changes in globalization and governance are inevitable.
Optimism toward stability in a multiplex world due to multiple factors in play.
The United States and other Western powers will continue to play roles, and emerging powers are expected to contribute positively to global governance.