The Rise of Civilization States
Since the invention of nationalism in the late 18th century - early 19th century, the world has primarily known nation states - particularly in what we call the “West”. Some cite the American or French revolutions as its beginnings, which certainly became a powerful tool for unity and mobilization. However, times are changing and a new age is dawning or has already begun. Civilization States will be the dominant form of political alignment for the foreseeable future.
Geopolitics is a complex and ever-changing field, but one constant is the importance of trade blocs. A trade bloc is a group of countries that have agreed to lower barriers to trade, such as tariffs and quotas. The most well-known trade bloc is the European Union, which was founded in 1957. Other examples of trade blocs include the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Why would a country join a trade bloc? To ease trade and the movement of money, goods, and people? This easement has heaps of benefits as member states begin to integrate, much like a company joining a co-opt for negotiation power. The truth is that there are a few large countries and many small countries. Naturally, less size comes with less political sway, economic power, or military power. In order to expand one's influence, a country may join a bloc in order to punch above its weight.
While trade blocs have existed for many years, they are becoming increasingly important in the 21st century. This is due in part to the rise of China and other countries as economic powers. As global trade increases, so does the need for countries to cooperate in order to facilitate commerce. This has led to the formation of new trade blocs, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). RCEP is a proposed free trade agreement between the ten member states of ASEAN and six other Asia-Pacific countries: China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and India. If ratified, RCEP would be the world's largest free trade agreement, covering nearly half of the world's population and almost 30% of the global GDP.
The formation of trade blocs is often seen as a step towards forming a Civilization State. A Civilization State is a group of countries that may share a common language, culture, religion, or history. While there are many examples of Civilization States throughout history, the most well-known is probably the Roman Empire. In recent years, there has been increasing speculation about whether or not the European Union will evolve into a Civilization State. This is due to the fact that the EU already has many characteristics of a Civilization State, such as a shared currency (the Euro) and a supranational bureaucracy (the European Commission). Only time will tell if the EU will become a fully-fledged Civilization State, but it is clear that the concept is gaining traction in the 21st century.
The international system has traditionally been dominated by nation-states, which are countries that have a shared sense of identity and are united under a single government. However, times are changing, and a new type of political entity known as a civilization state is beginning to emerge. Civilization states are typically formed when a group of countries come together to form a trade bloc. Trade blocs lower restrictions on trade and other economic activities between member countries, making it easier for businesses to operate in multiple countries. In order to streamline such tasks, there is close coordination between member countries through a shared bureaucracy. As trade blocs become more integrated, they begin to function more like single countries, and they may eventually evolve into full-fledged civilization states. While not integrated within the same government, Americans and Canadians would be difficult to distinguish to Europeans for instance even if not functionally part of the same country. Geopolitics is evolving along with the international system, and it will be interesting to see how this new type of political entity affects the distribution of power around the world.
In conclusion, it is evident that trade blocs are becoming increasingly important in today's world. With the rise of new economic powers and increased globalization, cooperation between countries is essential for facilitating commerce. This has led to the formation of new trade blocs and supranational organizations. While it remains to be seen how these developments will impact traditional nation-states, it is clear that we are witness to a shift in global politics.
