What we live today is a small revolution. For the first time for 2 centuries the Western world is not directing the other countries as easily as it used to be. The fact Africa is emancipating from France or England, and South America is emancipating from the United States, is showing that a new international order is emerging, which will be a lot more complex than before, and where the Western countries won’t prevail anymore.
It is noticeable that the BRICS are representing a counterweight against the Western countries. The fact China want them to be used against the influence of the United States looks to be a really efficient strategy. All the resentment accumulated against the former colonizers and ‘protectors’ look to tell it is possible to react a proper way to those subjects. That is the reason why it is necessary to consider this change, which is a major consequence of the rise of China in many fields.
To this extend it is necessary to talk about the role of colonization. It is necessary to notice to which extend colonization can damage the cause of the Western countries in the world. Its past can be a great obstacle to its future development. More and more one of the biggest asset of the United States and Europe will be its soft power : the fact these countries are democracies will be detrimental to reduce its loss of influence in the world. But the legacy of colonization can give great arguments for China (it has already been the case) to expand its influence in Africa for instance, where China is extremely popular.
That is the reason why countries like France need to rethink their policies towards African countries for instance. First FranceAfrica is about to explode step by step, that is the reason why the French past is a great obstacle in the new international relations. France really needs to change the way it considers this continent, too often seen as a “protectorate” despite decolonization. In my opinion France should listen more to the voice of many Africans who want France to go away. It doesn’t mean our country should not participate in a fight in Africa to counter the Chinese influence. But it has to accept its role cannot be a prior one, and should be more discreet. Maybe the United States, which is a former colonized country and which supported decolonization, despite economic imperialism, has more possibilities to sustain the influence of the Western world and its values of democracy. Actually France is already in this position, if we consider the fact the Americans furnished the munitions necessary to sustain the war in Mali.
Overall the western world needs to rethink its way of approaching international relations towards the rest of the world. Focusing more on its economic development, on a better quality of its education system, are more sustainable goals that trying to sustain a role in the world which doesn’t exist anymore. The period we live in is impressive, and many changes are happening in the shadows ; that is the reason why the importance of soft power will be more and more detrimental. Because the weight of the Western countries is decreasing impressively. This movement is likely to continue more and more in the coming years.
The observer 