Key Takeaways
- The world is shifting towards a new order where countries are no longer bound by traditional alliances and power dynamics.
- Middle powers like Canada are emerging as key players in this new order, advocating for cooperation and shared values.
- The United States, under Trump’s leadership, is abandoning its role as a global leader and instead embracing a principle of strength and power.
- Countries like Canada are learning to navigate this new landscape by forming new alliances and strengthening themselves against potential threats.
- The future of global politics may involve a more modest role for the United States, with a focus on cooperation and shared values rather than dominance and expansion.
Introduction to the New World Order
The world is changing, and the old rules no longer apply. The United States, once a beacon of democracy and freedom, has abandoned its role as a global leader and is now embracing a principle of strength and power. This shift has left countries like Canada in a difficult position, forced to navigate a new landscape where traditional alliances and power dynamics no longer hold sway. As Mark Carney, a former Canadian politician, noted, countries like Canada can no longer make bargains with the United States, but instead must learn to stand up for themselves and form new alliances to counter the bully.
The Rise of Middle Powers
Carney’s vision for the future is one where middle powers like Canada take center stage, advocating for cooperation and shared values. These countries, which represent the core of values that America is now abandoning, can build their unions at least in part on those shared ideas. Canada, for example, is a pluralistic society that works, with a loud, diverse, and free public square. Canadians remain committed to sustainability, and together, these nations can build something better, stronger, and more just. Carney’s message is one of hope and cooperation, and it is resonating with countries around the world.
The Challenges of Internal Politics
However, Carney’s own record on domestic issues is not without its challenges. Last fall, one of his cabinet ministers resigned due to a deal with the oil-patch province of Alberta to build new oil pipelines to the Pacific Coast for shipment to Asia. This move has been criticized as contradictory to Canada’s commitment to sustainability, and it highlights the difficulties of balancing competing interests and priorities. Despite these challenges, Canada is emerging as a levelheaded player on the global stage, firmer than the United Kingdom and less mercurial than France.
The Reaction of the United States
The United States, under Trump’s leadership, is not taking kindly to Canada’s newfound assertiveness. In his Davos address, Trump had a message for the Canadians: "I watched your Prime Minister yesterday. He wasn’t so grateful. They should be grateful to us, Canada. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements." Trump’s reaction is telling, and it highlights the deep-seated insecurity and resentment that drives his foreign policy. The notion of a world order where other countries decide to band together and play by the rules, instead of letting themselves be picked apart by the United States, is deeply threatening to Trump’s vision of American dominance.
A Future of Cooperation and Modesty
In the end, the future of global politics may involve a more modest role for the United States, with a focus on cooperation and shared values rather than dominance and expansion. As Carney noted, countries like Canada can build something better, stronger, and more just by working together and advocating for shared values. This vision is not without its challenges, but it offers a glimmer of hope for a more peaceful and cooperative world. Perhaps, someday, the United States will decide to become a reliable part of something that it doesn’t run, and Americans will learn to value modesty and cooperation over dominance and expansion. As Carney said, "In a world of great-power rivalry, the countries in between have a choice: compete with each other for favour or to combine to create a third path with impact." The choice is clear, and the future of global politics hangs in the balance.
