In the 35 years since the end of the Cold War, the US-led order has come under strain, while the balance of power referred to as G1, G2 and Zero continues to change. As the world transitions from the postmodern era to the age of AI, the backgrounds to various new terms and developments in the real world are examined.
Postmodernism, exceptionalism and regime change are among the terms used to depict the world since the late 11th century, while changes in the post-Cold War international order are organized as the “background.” Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the world moved from a unipolar system toward US-led globalization and the expansion of the global economy, while the bipolar nature of the hegemonic structure and the rise of emerging economies were also discussed.
Since the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US-Soviet confrontation has been dismantled, and the US is said to have remained relatively dominant. Against this backdrop, the spread of postmodern thought is described as driving concepts such as euphoria, exceptionalism and regime change, which in turn shaped global politics and the economy.
The interventionism and regime-change efforts that gained momentum after 2001 are emphasized. It is noted that pro-US governments were successively overthrown in Georgia, Ukraine, Egypt and elsewhere, prompting moves to heighten vigilance toward the US. These developments are said to have influenced the current alignment among China, Russia and North Korea, as well as the rise of the Global South.
The discussion covers the advance of globalization, distortions arising from bubble-like economic expansion, the impact on employment from the arrival of the AI era, the deterioration of public discourse and the onset of an age of chaos. Ultimately, humanism is positioned as a banner of hope, and a vision of the future is presented that includes shared challenges such as defending the planet.