The United States and the European Union often present themselves as champions of a “rules-based international order” and “free trade,” citing shared history and common geopolitical goals. Yet, for many in the Global South, these narratives carry a different meaning—less as universal principles and more as tools for preserving an unequal global system.
The Western View 🇺🇸🇪🇺
The US–EU alignment traces back to the post–World War II era, when they designed the institutions that still govern global trade, finance, and security. The Marshall Plan, NATO, and Bretton Woods institutions cemented a system they believe has delivered peace, prosperity, and predictability.
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Rules-Based Order – Seen as the backbone of global stability, ensuring that no nation—however powerful—can dominate the weak. This framework underpins Western foreign policy, justifying alliances, sanctions, and interventions.
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Free Trade – Promoted as a universal engine of growth, fostering innovation, efficiency, and interdependence. Open markets, they argue, allow countries to specialize in their strengths and prosper collectively.
The Global South’s View 🌏🌍
For many countries shaped by colonial histories, these same concepts evoke suspicion. The “rules” and “free trade” appear less as neutral ideals and more as extensions of old hierarchies.
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Rules Written for the West – Global governance structures, from the IMF to the World Bank, were largely designed by the US and Europe. Loan conditions often promote Western economic models and corporate access, limiting developing nations’ ability to protect industries or pursue independent paths. Sanctions are frequently seen as political weapons, punishing defiance rather than defending human rights.
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Free Trade as Neo-Colonialism – Critics point out that the West once relied on tariffs and protectionism to industrialize, yet now urges the Global South to dismantle such protections. The result often benefits Western corporations, undermines local economies, and entrenches dependency. The inconsistency is stark when the US or EU themselves impose tariffs to shield their own sectors—revealing “free trade” as a principle applied selectively.