Neo-imperialism: Threat to the global peace

2026-02-25 - 21:33

CONTEMPORARY international relations are characterized by the Machiavellian theory of Realism which describes the world as inherently anarchic, with no central authority to enforce rules thus leading the States to a constant struggle for accumulation of power. Brief overview of the modern history reveals that as the proponent of Classical and Offensive Realism, the Imperialist Europe used expansionism as the tool and colonized different countries. The USA followed the bandwagon of imperialism and expansionism through its Monroe and Truman doctrines, especially within the Americas and Pacific Regions. Nevertheless, under the peculiar geopolitical environment of post-World War-II, the UNO Charter was signed at the culmination of San Francisco conference on 25 June 1945. The unanimous adoption of the UNO Charter on 25 October 1945, promised an end to the imperialism, survival of the smaller countries on the universal principles of equality, respect and justice, an end to the human sufferings and beginning of the journey towards progress and prosperity. Most importantly, Article-47 of the UNO charter granted unique right of‘ Veto Power’ to the ‘P-5’ (USA, UK, USSR, China and France) on the condition of maintaining peace and security in the world through the Military Staff Committee (MSC).Primary function of the MSC was‘ to advise and assist the UN Security Council on providing all military resources for maintaining international peace and security, including the provision of strategic direction to the armed forces, regulation of armaments and possible disarmament’. Ironically, the ‘P-5’ despite optimally exploiting the right to veto power, have not been able to fulfill their promise of maintaining international peace and security. Rather, in a strange set of circumstances, most of the third world countries have been the major contributors for troops towards the peace keeping and peace restoration forces of the UNO across the globe. On 14 December 1960, Colonialism was formally declared outlawed through the United Nations General Assembly Resolution number1514 (XV), titled ‘Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples’, which called for the immediate end of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. Essence of the resolution was expressed as ‘continued existence of colonialism prevents the development of international economic co-operation, impedes the social, cultural and economic development and militates against the United Nations ideal of universal peace’. It further declared that ‘in order to avoid serious crises, the process of liberation and decolonization was irresistible and irreversible’. The UNGA’s declaration was a landmark event and served as a cornerstone of international law regarding the provisioning of human rights and state sovereignty and it ultimately laid the foundation for dismantling the imperial rule across the globe. Ironically, the UNGA resolution did not stop or discourage the powerful countries to achieve the ultimate goal of accumulating power by either occupying or exploiting the resources of weaker and smaller countries. The goals were achieved by means with or without the use of military power. The Modus Operandi was mixed with the exploitation of developing and under developed countries by covertly and overtly using Bretton Woods International Financial Institutions (IFIs) like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank while Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) added another layer of advantage. Such forms of ‘economic colonization’ were best explained by the American essayist Mr John Perkins, in his best seller book‘ Confessions of an Economic Hit Man’, first published in 2004.His eye-opening memoirs exposed how powerful nations manipulate developing countries through debt traps and covert influence through IFIs and MNCs. Mr Perkins, a former economic hit man himself, described his role in persuading the global leaders to accept massive loans for so-called infrastructure projects that ultimately enslaved their nations economically. USA spent around USD 01 Trillion on the defence budget during the year-2025, bulk of which was spent to support around 750 military bases across 80 countries, which reused for exercising direct and indirect influence. USA’s conduct of extraterritorial military operations to capture incumbent Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and laying of territorial claims over Greenland are the latest manifestations of neo-imperialism. Similarly, NATO’s eastwards expansion into the Russian backyard and Russian occupation of the eastern Ukraine to establish a security buffer zone can be viewed with same lens. Likewise, Israel’s ambitions of greater Israel, intending to geographically spread its boundaries way beyond its existing borders into the neighbouring countries and its corresponding military actions are nothing but neo-imperialism. In the same regards, India’s unveiling of contentious mural at its parliament building on 28 May 2023, depicting an envisioned map of ‘Akhand Bharat’ wishfully encompassing parts of China, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and beyond is a clear manifestation of expansionism and neo-imperialism. Ironically, western world dominated by the USA propagates itself as the capitalist liberal democracy while it follows ‘classical and offensive realism’ which allows states to act as self-interested actors in an anarchic world. Conversely, China, propagated by the West as a Socialist State led by Chinese Communist Party practices ‘liberalism’ characterized by cooperation, economic interdependence, shared prosperity (BRI) and viable international institutions (UNO).It can be concluded that dynamics of contemporary geopolitical and geo-economic landscape have undergone immense change and revolution in information domain has made the world truly a global village. Moreover, modernization and technological advancements have greatly transformed the character of any future conflict and made the physical occupation of countries immensely cost-prohibitive. Nevertheless, the desire to enhance national power and influence beyond the legitimate bounds, even by risking the global peace and security is a dangerous mindset. It is the responsibility of global powers to exercise prudence and restraint and lead by example the way to global peace, security and prosperity. —The writer is a retired Air Officer from the PAF and currently serving at the DHA Suffa University (DSU), Karachi. (xahid31@gmail.com)