While war is appalling due to the destruction it causes and the lives it takes, the current Ukraine-Russia war is revealing more than this outlook of war. Only a keen eye, which is rare in this blinded world, can appreciate the deep implications of this war that has the potential to shift global geopolitical power. Just like in the cold war era, it remains a jostle for power between the West, which holds a global economic hegemony spanning centuries, and the East, the rapidly growing pole that is posing a threat to status quo.
To begin with, this piece is more of a criticism of the hypocrisy of the West and in no way justifies the current situation in Ukraine. War has no winners, and no war is justifiable since there is always room for peace between warring parties. However, as a cruel history has taught, war is inevitable in this world so it is not utter pessimism to not expect more conflict in the world. Besides, the Bible states that strife in the world is inevitable and will be rife as the end-time approach.
A major consequence, probably unintended, of the Ukraine-Russia war, is that it is revealing the inner plumpings of the world’s economy and is laying bare the depth of the Western hegemony in the global economy. To begin with, the domination of the dollar in global transactions is what has given power to the West through control over a vast global market. Unsurprisingly, a growing power in the East is looking to ‘de-dollarize’ to de-link themselves from this Western yoke and therefore create room to foster their power and influence on the world stage.
While at a superficial level the Ukraine-Russia conflict may be portrayed like a war between the principles of democracy and dictatorship, there is also the concealed aspect about a contest for power. The East is challenging the hegemonic dominion of the US on the globe and the latter, through various tactics that include coercion and veiled threat on other governments, fights to sustain the status quo. Authority is gained by taking control over the larger proportion of the global economy since, in the world, money is power.
The application of a plethora of sanctions on Russia by the West has unintentionally revealed how vulnerable the rest of the world is to the Western preponderant influence on the global economy. Just by regulating the use of their currency, the US controls the dollar-dominated global market. By restricting the use of the dollar, usually through targeted sanctions, they can make it difficult for anyone to transact on the global economy. China, which is the biggest lender to the US, through dollar-dominated US treasury securities, will always be wary that the US could devalue the US dollar which would also diminish, and even wipe out entirely, the worth of the debts owed.
Therefore, while the invasion by Russia on Ukraine is indeed deplorable, the rest of the world should also be astounded at the exposure of Western imperium on many aspects of the world economy. It is a revelation of the implication of monopoly by one player in any market which could be turned into a weapon by the imperialist power.
To cite another example of the extent of Western sway, the SWIFT system that connects most banks around the world, to allow for cross-border communications that enable international money transfers, is controlled by Western countries. Most people do not understand any alternative systems offered by other powers. Besides, the seamlessness of global transactions has left many aloof and ignorant about the mechanisms of the soft infrastracture that support these systems.
It can now be observed how the Western powers and authorities can use their control to lock out any institution or territory, from their systems, that apparently does not conform to their ideals. The exercise of this monopoly aligns with the increasingly popular claims of a Cancel Culture drive propelled by some powerful social circles in the US that are keen to ostracise anyone that does not conform to ‘modernism’.
A second example is that of monopoly by US Big Tech firms, such as Twitter, Amazon, Facebook, Google, etc, and their massive satellite infrastructure, on the Internet. They administrate over a disproportionately large amount of global data and with it comes great power. While these companies have the right to alter their business policies, almost at a whim, and regulate their business, the world should pause and appreciate the reach of their monopoly and hegemony. Their influence is so pervasive it has been indicated that they have the power to influence the minds of people.
The Western power can easily carry and push through a narrative of their liking through this monopoly. They may choose to hide the Truth if they wished or provide half-truths as was revealed in the Nixon’s Watergate scandal and Wikileaks. The West is known to have supported, and still does, covert missions in other countries purportedly to fight ‘terrorism’ at source. Pictures of American secret agents supporting coup d’état in countries such as Mali only adds to the show of blatant abuse of power. They then put up a facade for the public to placate them and justify their actions to obviate admonition and protests. The charade is even easier to be bought by the public due to the monopolistic power of Western media over the world.
Inevitably, and unfortunately, in a world that is increasingly becoming hooked on television, social media channels, and the internet, the likelihood of becoming blinded is ever high. The Bible in 2nd Timothy 4: 3- 4 states that “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
The world had entrusted the US, the world’s largest economy, with their resources for the prospect of a global order. Over time this has transformed into ammasing of power on the part of the US. The West then wielded its power, and through highhandedness, stifled global competition and wielded a monopolistic power of influence on the globe. The implications has been the erosion of diversity of cultures and traditions around the world, through Westernisation, a loss of tolerance amongst people, and more strife.
githbio 