The writer, Kishore Mahbubani is a distinguished fellow at the National University of Singapore, is the author of ‘The Asian 21st Century’
In this short article, Mahbubani opines that we live in an interdependent world which faces many pressing common challenges and that It’s time for the west and the rest to talk to each other as equals.
Here are the main points:
- The west is losing its respect and influence in the world due to its poor performance and incompetence in various domains, such as economy, politics, and culture.
- It contrasts the historical achievements and advantages of the west, such as its technological superiority, colonial expansion, and postwar stability, with its current challenges and crises, such as Brexit, Trump, and the rise of populism.
- The article cites a statistic that shows the relative decline of the EU compared to the Asean bloc, and suggests that this is a sign of a structural shift in the global balance of power.
- The article implies that the west needs to regain its vitality and competence, or else it will face further erosion of its status and influence in the world.
It is a short but succinct article, well worth spending your time to read!