The Cold War is a significant event in history, but equally important is the phenomenon of its end. No one, nor any theory, ever predicted that the Cold War would end peacefully. However, it did come to a peaceful conclusion in the early 1990s. This unexpected outcome posed a question to scholars of international relations: What would the world look like after the end of the Cold War?To answer this question, Samuel P. Huntington proposed his theory of the “Clash of Civilizations.”

The End Of Cold War

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.”

Realist Perspective Of Post Cold War

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.

Source Of Clashes Will Be Cultural Differences

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.

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.

Example Of Cultural Clashes Between Civilizations

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.

China’s Growing Military and Diplomatic Ties with Muslim World

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.

A New Axis: China, Muslim Nations, and Russia vs. the West

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.

USA’s East Asian Strategy

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.

Advising the West: Balancing Relations with Russia & NATO Growth

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

Western Decline

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.

Conclusion

The Samuel P. Huntington primary objective of this book is to explore how the world would look after the end of the Cold War. His aim to address what kind of international system or events could be expected in the post-Cold War era.

Focus Of This Book

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

Modernization vs. Westernization

Within some of these civilizations, there is a powerful core state, often possessing nuclear weapons:<ul><li>Confucian Civilization: China as the core state</li><li>Western Civilization: The UK, US, France, and Germany as core states</li><li>Japanese Civilization: Japan</li><li>Orthodox Christian Civilization: Russia</li><li>Islamic, Latin American, and African Civilizations: No core state yet</li></ul>In the post-Cold War era, differences between these civilizations—whether linguistic, cultural, or religious—could lead to clashes between them.

Powerful Core States

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.

The Liberal Perspective Of Post Cold War

According to the writer, there are eight different types of civilizations in the world:<ol><li>Western Civilization</li><li>Confucian Civilization</li><li>Japanese Civilization</li><li>Islamic Civilization</li><li>Orthodox Christian Civilization</li><li>Hindu Civilization</li><li>Latin Civilization</li><li>African Civilization</li></ol>These civilizations differ in aspects such as culture, language, and religion.

Eight Different Types Of Civilizations

Few of the main ideas from the Book "The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the World Order" By Samuel P. Huntington.

The classic study of post-Cold War international relations, more relevant than ever in the post-9/11 world, with a new foreword by Zbigniew Brzezinski. Since its initial publication, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order has become a classic work of international relations and one of the most influential books ever written about foreign affairs. An insightful and powerful analysis of the forces driving global politics, it is as indispensable to our understanding of American foreign policy today as the day it was published. As former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski says in his new foreword to the book, it “has earned a place on the shelf of only about a dozen or so truly enduring works that provide the quintessential insights necessary for a broad understanding of world affairs in our time.” Samuel Huntington explains how clashes between civilizations are the greatest threat to world peace but also how an international order based on civilizations is the best safeguard against war. Events since the publication of the book have proved the wisdom of that analysis. The 9/11 attacks and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have demonstrated the threat of civilizations but have also shown how vital international cross-civilization cooperation is to restoring peace. As ideological distinctions among nations have been replaced by cultural differences, world politics has been reconfigured. Across the globe, new conflicts—and new cooperation—have replaced the old order of the Cold War era. The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order explains how the population explosion in Muslim countries and the economic rise of East Asia are changing global politics. These developments challenge Western dominance, promote opposition to supposedly “universal” Western ideals, and intensify intercivilization conflict over such issues as nuclear proliferation, immigration, human rights, and democracy. The Muslim population surge has led to many small wars throughout Eurasia, and the rise of China could lead to a global war of civilizations. Huntington offers a strategy for the West to preserve its unique culture and emphasizes the need for people everywhere to learn to coexist in a complex, multipolar, muliticivilizational world.