RISING FEAR AND ANGER IN THE WORLD
The world is facing a great common crisis as almost all major powers are currently caught up in either domestic or foreign conflicts
EUROPE is re-experiencing the 1930s with the rising far-right and radical nationalist movements and discourses across the whole continent while the EU has been declining in power
Acolossal change is awaiting the world, which will cause a series of economic and political crises. However, it is not easy to foresee in which region or country the first indicators of this change will be seen. The U.S. is still of course in the centerpiece of the world system. But despite the wealth and extraordinary military power of the country, its people are restless and caught in profound polarization. During his two years in office, U.S. President Donald Trump has exacerbated the dangerous contradictions of the U.S. with both his rhetoric and actions.
The United States was undergoing the much-expected midterm elections as I was preparing my column. The country has been facing extremist discourses and white supremacist ideas in recent years. Due to the policies adopted by Trump, the U.S. has been caught up in a row with its trade partners. Meanwhile, Trump and his team have gone so far as to denounce the U.S. media as “enemies of the people” because they oppose him.
Trump has also disregarded almost all the international agreements the U.S. signed prior to his term, particularly the ones with United Nations organizations. Recently, he has disregarded the nuclear disarmament agreement made with Iran, the agreement with Russia on the mid-range missiles and the Paris climate accord. In brief, it is impossible to gloss over the fact that major economic and political crises – and even wars – are awaiting the U.S.
The Middle East region, meanwhile, has continuously been confronting heated crises due to a set of problems that seem insoluble. Due to the Israeli state’s atrocious policies on the Palestinian lands, it is impossible to achieve a permanent peace in the region. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also constitutes another source of crisis with its obsolete administrative model, its selfindulgence that comes from its oil wealth and it’s very arrogant man- ner. As of late, the whole world has witnessed the relentless side of the Saudi model with the brutal murder of the Saudi journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi. Also, the country always brings up provocations against Iran that are supported by the U.S. and Israel.
Besides all this, Europe is reexperiencing the 1930s with the rising far-right and radical nationalist movements and discourses across the whole continent while the European Union has been declining in power. The United Kingdom’s Brexit process, the Italian government’s annulment of all its agreements, Hungary’s adopting of racism at an official level, and the separatist efforts in Spain are only a few examples that portray the current situation in Europe. However, in this picture, it can be said that Russia and China, the traditional rivals of the U.S., stand out as the most stable powerful states. No matter what, this age is full of dangers, turmoil and conflicts; fear and hate is spreading among all societies.