Bubble . T's Key Ideas from The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order
by Samuel P. Huntington

The liberal perspective presents an optimistic worldview after the end of the Cold War. The most important proponent of this view is Francis Fukuyama, whose book “The End of History” posits that globalization and the spread of democracy will bring the world’s people closer together in economic, political, and cultural terms.

As countries become more interdependent, the possibility of clashes, wars, and conflicts will be significantly reduced.

Realists believe that the Cold War period was a time of stability because the world was bipolar, with a balance of power between the two superpowers, which maintained peace. After the Cold War, this balance was disrupted, leading to the rise of powerful countries.

In a multipolar world, clashes between emerging powers are now expected. This view is held by John Mearsheimer in his books “Back to the Future” and “The Tragedy of Great Power Politics,” as well as by another realist thinker Robert D. Kaplan in his book “The Coming Anarchy.”

Samuel P. Huntington is also a realist, but he offers a unique perspective.

The writer states that in the post-Cold War era, clashes between nations will not be due to ideological differences, unlike during the Cold War when the primary conflict between the US and the USSR was ideological. On one hand, the USA was promoting capitalism and liberal democracy, while on the other hand, the USSR was advocating Marxism and communism.

Instead the writer believed that in the post-Cold War era, the source of clashes will be civilizational and cultural differences between countries.

In the post-Cold War era, the source of clashes will be civilizational and cultural differences between countries. These cultural differences include religious, linguistic, and other cultural distinctions.

According to the writer, there are eight different types of civilizations in the world:

1. Western Civilization
2. Confucian Civilization
3. Japanese Civilization
4. Islamic Civilization
5. Orthodox Christian Civilization
6. Hindu Civilization
7. Latin Civilization
8. African Civilization

These civilizations differ in aspects such as culture, language, and religion.

Within some of these civilizations, there is a powerful core state, often possessing nuclear weapons:

• Confucian Civilization: China as the core state
• Western Civilization: The UK, US, France, and Germany as core states
• Japanese Civilization: Japan
• Orthodox Christian Civilization: Russia
• Islamic, Latin American, and African Civilizations: No core state yet

In the post-Cold War era, differences between these civilizations—whether linguistic, cultural, or religious—could lead to clashes between them.

One notable example of cultural clashes is the conflict between Western and Islamic civilizations. Huntington argues that the cultural and religious differences between these two civilizations have led to significant tensions and conflicts, (such as Iraq War, Israel-Palestine Wars, War on Terror etc) particularly in the post-Cold War era.

The writer predicted that in the clash against the West, another civilization that will stand with the Muslim civilization is the Chinese civilization.

The writer also stated that China is the most powerful player on the international stage due to its growing military power and population. Since 1980, China has been increasing its military strength. From 1988 to 1993, China’s military budget doubled. Additionally, China has started projecting its power by building military bases in the South China Sea.

The writer predicted that China, along with Muslim countries and Russia, will challenge the West. China is also working to build strong relationships with the Muslim world, as evidenced by its mediation between Saudi Arabia and Iran and its ironclad relationship with Pakistan.

The writer warned the West that if Russia, China, and the Muslim world were to form a bloc and challenge the West, such a development would be alarming for the Western nations.

The writer advises the USA, to form alliances with East Asian countries such as Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, and South Korea in order to counter China.

Nowadays, we can see that the USA is indeed strengthening its relationships with Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines, including forming security alliances with Japan and Taiwan.

The writer also advised the West to build friendly, give-and-take relations with Russia and to halt NATO expansion into Western and Central Europe. They suggested not expanding further east unless Ukraine split into two or Russia attacked Ukraine. This prediction proved correct: if the West tried to expand NATO eastward and include Ukraine, Russia would not remain calm and would attack.

Huntington argues that the influence of Western civilization is declining as other civilizations assert their own cultural identities and values.

While modernization is spreading globally, it does not necessarily mean Westernization. Many civilizations are modernizing while maintaining their distinct cultural identities.

Samuel Huntington's "Clash of Civilizations" theory continues to spark discussions among scholars and policymakers about the role of cultural differences in shaping global conflicts. While criticized for oversimplifying complex geopolitical dynamics, the theory raises important questions about the impact of identity, religion, and values on contemporary international relations. In a world where cultural fault lines are increasingly visible, understanding and addressing these differences remain crucial for fostering meaningful dialogue, cooperation, and peace among nations and civilizations.