Western Universalism - what's the big deal?

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sanman
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Re: Western Universalism - what's the big deal?

Post by sanman »

Sanjeev Sanyal Exposes Global Ratings Conspiracy And Western Echo Chambers

ricky_v
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Re: Western Universalism - what's the big deal?

Post by ricky_v »

https://brusselssignal.eu/2024/12/is-it ... perialism/
Imperialism is making a comeback, which is why I decided to turn this column into a three-part series to put forward my argument as to why that is the case. The often eccentric but also insightful Nassim Nicholas Taleb of “Black Swan” fame (the book about probabilities, not the movie about ballet) recently defended Turkey’s policies towards Syria on economic grounds:


That being said, the idea that countries with centuries of experience in governance should take direct or indirect control over areas that have shown themselves time and again to be incapable of self-governance might not be the worst idea. In fact, in the often-announced multipolar age it might be inevitable.

While I still remain sceptical about the concept of multipolarity, for this would require at least one other country that is equal to the United States in its capabilities, I do think that there will be regional powershifts allowing for regional hegemons to arise. We see this currently happening in the Middle East, and what Taleb is enthusiastically referring to is nothing but a 21st century version of Ottoman imperialism.
In a recent party speech, Turkish President Erdoğan talked openly about his ambitions to “revise the outcome of World War I and annex Syrian territories (formerly Ottoman provinces) into Turkey.” Contrary to Western Europe, where a post-modern and post-nationalist mindset is still dominating the elite mindset, the rest of the world is moving on to a neo-imperialist mindset.

Not all of these “imperialisms” will look the same, but they will all have the same characteristics of pursuing spheres of interests at the expense of neighbouring countries. Russia, for example, is following its traditional playbook of territorial expansion – a strategy as old as Peter I, who also happens to be Putin’s role model. The invasion of Ukraine had many motivating factors from Moscow’s point of view, but as Putin made clear in an essay he himself wrote on the “Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians,” there is a clear imperialist motive. The same goes for Russian meddling in Central Asia and the Caucasus as well as the desire to establish military bases in the Middle East and Africa.

China, on the other hand, appears to pursue its traditional model of imperialism via a modern version of the tribute system. Beijing barely ever directly intervenes, but it creates financial dependencies, known as debt-trap diplomacy. China is the world’s largest bilateral creditor, and it would be naïve to believe that Chinese money flows without any strings attached. The Belt-and-Road initiative is a scheme to shield China from sanctions via the creation of resource pipelines (both metaphorically and literally) and make the global South dependent on China. This is a global version of the tribute system made fit for the 21st century: The tributary system was the framework through which China managed its foreign relations from around the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) to the Qing dynasty (1644–1911/12).


The world is not moving closer to a happy family of “multiple poles” but a world of renewed imperial conflict, and Europe has not yet found its role or purpose in this emerging world.
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Re: Western Universalism - what's the big deal?

Post by A_Gupta »

How does India achieve its national objectives such as Vikasit Bharat amidst all the neo-imperialist fighting?
ricky_v
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Re: Western Universalism - what's the big deal?

Post by ricky_v »

that is a difficult question to answer, A_Gupta ji; i have always believed that internal policy making is influenced by the features stated in the directive principles of state policy, summarising from co-pilot:
The Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) are guidelines and principles set out in Part IV of the Indian Constitution. They are not enforceable by any court, but they aim to provide a framework for the governance of the country. The main objective of these principles is to ensure social and economic democracy and to provide a just and equitable society. Here are some key aspects:

directive principles of state policy
The Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) are guidelines and principles set out in Part IV of the Indian Constitution. They are not enforceable by any court, but they aim to provide a framework for the governance of the country. The main objective of these principles is to ensure social and economic democracy and to provide a just and equitable society. Here are some key aspects:

Key Principles
Economic and Social Welfare: The state should promote the welfare of the people by securing and protecting a social order in which justice, social, economic, and political, shall inform all the institutions of national life.

Minimizing Inequality: The state should strive to minimize inequalities in income and eliminate inequalities in status, facilities, and opportunities.

Right to Work, Education, and Public Assistance: The state should provide the right to an adequate means of livelihood, equal pay for equal work, and free and compulsory education for children.

Promotion of Health: The state should work towards raising the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and improving public health.

Equal Justice and Free Legal Aid: The state should promote equal justice and provide free legal aid to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities.

Environmental Protection: The state should protect and improve the environment and safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country.

Promotion of International Peace and Security: The state should foster respect for international law and treaty obligations and encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.

Purpose and Importance
Guiding Governance: They serve as a guide for the state to establish and maintain a just society.

Policy Formulation: They help in the formulation and implementation of policies that aim to achieve socio-economic development.

Constitutional Objectives: They reflect the ideals that the Constitution aims to achieve, such as democracy, social justice, and equality.

While these principles are not legally enforceable, they are crucial in shaping policies and laws that promote the overall well-being of the citizens.

Would you like to delve into any specific aspect of the Directive Principles of State Policy?
as far as the internal mechanisms are considered, india will fulfill the above based on political compulsions, and should in theory, work out as business- as-usual

vikasit bharat on the other hand:
vikasit bharat stated goals
The Viksit Bharat 2047 initiative is a comprehensive vision plan by the Government of India to transform the country into a developed nation by the year 2047, marking the 100th anniversary of its independence. The initiative focuses on various aspects of development, including economic growth, social progress, environmental sustainability, and good governance1.

Key Goals of Viksit Bharat 2047
Economic Growth: Enhance productivity and resilience in agriculture, promote employment and skilling, and boost manufacturing and services.

Social Development: Ensure inclusive human resource development and social justice, with a focus on the four pillars: Yuva (Youth), Garib (Poor), Mahila (Women), and Kisan (Farmers).

Infrastructure Development: Improve urban development, energy security, and infrastructure.

Innovation and Research: Foster innovation, research, and development to drive technological advancements.

Environmental Sustainability: Protect and improve the environment, and promote sustainable practices.

Regional Development: Implement plans like Purvodaya for the all-round development of the eastern region of India, covering states like Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh.

Global Partnerships: Encourage international cooperation and partnerships to achieve development goals.

The initiative aims to create a prosperous India in harmony with modern infrastructure and nature, providing opportunities for all citizens to reach their potential.

Does this align with what you were looking for, or is there a specific aspect you'd like to know more about?
vikasit bharat and the dpsp, imo, are aligned in their overall outlook, with vb the stated goal, and the dpsp the mechanism to reach it.
now, in this interconnected world, it is always possible that decisions of a country influence outlook outside the said country's borders, but if we are speaking of formulating / refining the internal machinery, and considering that we have been dealing with imperialistic tendencies of many friedns and foes all the time, this neo-imperialism should not adversely affect india's goals
Haresh
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Re: Western Universalism - what's the big deal?

Post by Haresh »

Not sure where to put this,
Admin Please move if required

I study the collapse of empires... here's why wokeism will be the downfall of America

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech ... erica.html
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