The Upheavals in the Global Order and Their Ramifications for Democracy

The expansion of the global economy and its attempt to integrate various kinds of national economies in its network has pertinent implications for the industrial societies of modern age which had predominantly two kinds of political system, authoritarian and democratic. At the political level, there have been many upheavals in the global order particularly in the Europe where the countries of Eastern Block had not only adopted the globalization policy but also became the members of EU and NATO. These developments caused a new cold war between USA led countries on the one hand and the countries like China and Russia on the other. The extension of NATO, the rise of Communist China with adoption of state capitalism, the emergence of the fast growing economies, the rise fundamentalist entities enhanced the crisis further. The involvement of world super powers in these regional processes resulted into a deep crisis which finally converted into a world war like situation between Russia and Ukraine with their allies. The international institutions like NATO, UNO, Red Cross Society etc., in fact, have been defunct in the present scenario. Two established political constructs, democracy and authoritarianism have now become the main bases of political preference and ideological orientation of the countries involved. This kind of crisis will have serious ramifications for the entire world order. The session will explore and discuss these pertinent issues.