Clash of Civilizations
Clash of Civilizations
World Politics is entering in a new phase which will be end of history,the return of traditional rivalries between nation states and the decline of nation state from conflicting pulls of tribalism and globalism. Fundamental conflicts would not be ideological or economic but cultural conflicts. Nation states would remain the most dominant and powerful actors.Clash of civilization will dominate the global politics. With the peace of Westphalia conflict of western world were among princes, emperors, absolute or constitutional monarchs to expand their armies, bureaucracies, mercantilist economic strength. In this process they created nation states beginning with French revolution. The principle lines of conflict were between the nations rather princes.
ANALYSIS
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many scholars predicted that the future of world and where nations would advance. Huntington’s idea in ‘the clash of civilization’ is a representative case among the various views on the new world and it caused lots of debates about the pros and cons of his thought. In the ‘clash of civilization,’ Huntington argues that conflicts of contemporary world (after the end of Cold War) are not ideological nor economical but cultural and phenomenon such as confrontations and antagonisms among nations which are caused by clashes of different civilizations would rise remarkably. However, Said criticized that ‘the clash of civilization’ is a creature of the imperative conception that the West should hold the hegemony of ‘new world order.’ This essay, therefore, explores the theory of ‘the clash of civilization’ and criticizes several points which are mentioned in it.
A civilization is the highest cultural grouping of people and the broadest level of cultural identity people have short that which distinguishes human from other species. It is defined both by common objective elements, such as language, history,and religion. In short, while Huntington is
right to see religion as a factor in the coming era of world politics, the role of religion will go well beyond serving as a touchstone for culture. Religion is more than culture. It transcends civilizations. In the end, to listen to the believers among us, it will transcend history itself.
Harvard Professor Samuel P. Huntington caused intellectual explosion by publishing his article clash of civilizations in the American journal Foreign Affairs in 1993. He asserts Civilizations are the largest aggregates that command human loyalties and account for much of the bloodshed in the recorded human history. Cold war marked a brief departure from it but now old enemies could go to the past time, waging wars against each other.
The biggest threat to the west at present comes from China and Islam. He argues that now the cold war had ended, future conflicts in the world politics would be less between states and more between civilizations or coalitions of culture.
He asserts his point of view,
In this emerging era of cultural conflict the United States must forge alliances with similar cultures and spread its values wherever possible. With alien civilizations the West must be accommodating if possible, but confrontational if necessary. In the final analysis, however, all civilizations will have to learn to tolerate each other.”
There is now a danger of hot war of religion to succeed the cold war of ideologies, the new trend between America and allies, on the one hand, and Muslim countries such as Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Libya, Sudan, and Somalia, on the other hand. Both American capitalism and Russian Commission were born out of European culture.
Present Scenario of mistrust and bloodshed:
The 9/11 attack was termed as beginning of clash of civilizations, when Tony Blair exclaimed as,
“They have attacked on our civilization.”
President Bush declared war against Afghanistan as Crusades. The question arises whether the significance of September 11, 2001, the attacks on the US, the devastation of Afghanistan, the Israeli onslaught on the Palestinians homeland and Lebanon, the plans to divide Iraq and invade Iran Somalia, and Sudan, all add up to an unfolding conflict between the United States and its closet allies (Israel and UK) on the one hand, and more and more Muslim countries, on the other hand.
The tumult caused by the publication of the caricature of the Holy Prophet in the Norwegian Newspaper. The growing phenomenon of linking fundamentalism to extremism and extremism to Islam and Islam to terrorism sent a shocking wave to Enlightened Muslims.Clear discrimination against members of the Muslim community in Switzerland.No French citizenship for burka-clad women’s husband.
Causes of Clash of Civilizations:
US hegmony:
• American – Gulliver of the globe.
• Economic globalization under American influence.
• Information globalization under American influence.
• Comprehensive globalization under American influence.
• One super power and security system for the globe.
• First among unequal: US is so far ahead of its nearest military rival, Russia; its nearest economic rival, Japan/china its technological rival Germany.
Why Civilizations will Clash?
The conflict of future will occur along the cultural fault lines separating civilization.
(1).Differences among civilization are basic.
(2)World is becoming a small place.
(3)Process of Economic modernization and social change.
(4)Growth of civilization is enhanced by the dual role of the west.
(5)Cultural differences are less easily compromised and resolved than political and economic ones.
(6)Economic nationalism is increasing Clash of civilization has two levels
(a)Micro Level
(b)Macro Level
Hidden Objectives under this Theory:
A clash of culture did occur when President Bush used to Taliban, the Language of ultimatum over surrendering us Usama, just hand over Usama Bin Laden and his thugs. There is nothing to talk about. It shows he was trying to get the Taliban to say NO, so that Bush could embark on his long awaited military action to capture Afghanistan.
The threat of weapons of mass destruction from North Korea is more real than that of Iraq, but till now 6,00,000 Iraqis have been butchered with their President hanged.
For ‘Greater Israel’ Hezbollah, Iran and Syria are on the hit list as their culture of Violence in the words of Bush. “Put future threats to the security of America.”
Pluralistic Dimensions of Islamic Civilization:
Islam was not spread by sword, as misinterpreted by Pope, the living evidence is Arab Land itself where millions of Christian and the Jews are practicing their faith with complete liberty. Ruthless killing of innocent citizens committed by Napolean, Chengiz khan and observed in the world wars are much greater than by Saddam or any other Muslim Despot.
In the Muslim world, the women are awarded more dignity than in the west, far less prostitution than in the west, no beauty competitions. Sons in the Muslim world respect their mothers more than sons in the west. There was ethnic cleansing which displaced thousands of Palestinians to make room for the Jews. An ideology was formed in which some one from the Ukraine who claims to have had a Jewish ancestors two thousands years ago had more rights under Israel’s Law of Return than Palestinian who ran away from Israeli borders in 1948.
The Role of Religion in Huntington’s paradigm
The role of religion is a problem in Huntington’s paradigm. As noted, in sorting the world along civilizational lines, he assigns religion a preeminemt place. More than any other factor, according to Huntington, religious affiliation signifies "who we are" and "who we are not." It identifies kin and marks prospective rivals. Yet implicit in Huntington’s argument is the notion that religion in its own right is without standing. Religion illuminates politics, but should play no independent role in politics. (It is a safe bet that when Huntington calls for the revival of Western civilization he is not advocating restoration of One Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church exercising authority over secular affairs.) For Huntington, religion—particularly religion in the West—is an anachronism, something that was itself once alive and powerful but that now survives largely as artifact or memento. Yet in thus consigning religion to role of cultural ID card, Huntington misconstrues its significance, both politically and otherwise.
Suggestions to make this world Heaven:
• Intellectual and collective effort
The present ongoing clash is not a physical phenomenon and does no require use of force, which has proved a big failure, even after using Hi-Tech weapons. Rather it demands intellectual and collective effort by all responsible scholars, Heads of States, Soldiers and Politicians.
• Inter faith dialogue
Inter faith dialogue to create harmony because Islam gives high esteem to all other religions of book and their prophets.
• True Muslim scholars
True Muslim scholars in collaboration with other Priests, can hold joint Seminars to generate harmony and shed clouds of ignorance and prejudice.
• UN
The world body UN should fear the dreadful end of League of Nations, so it needs vitality and firmness to implement its fair decisions, irrespective US influence which has divided the world.
• Media power
Media power can be used for bridging the gulf among biased nations and cultures.
• Education system
Education system is a basic tool in polishing individuals with qualities of compassion and Humanism.
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Success is never achieved by the size of our brain but it is always achieved by the quality of our thoughts.
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