Alienation 2.0 at the First Quarter of the Century

The year 2025 marks the first quarter of the 21st century. It also marks a turning point in the world’s politico-economic history, as the version of the world instilled through systemic indoctrination, particularly since the turn of the 21st century, is no longer viable.

The dustbins of human history are rife with the remnants of failed ideologies, collapsed empires, and broken promises that once sought to reshape the world order. The extent, depth, and breadth of world orders have been well-studied by scholars. Against the backdrop of numerous scholarly works, only one universal rule remains to embody the international system, as was penned by Thucydides: “The strong do as they please, and the weak suffer as they must.”

All world orders have functioned under this modus operandi. However, none have been as sophisticated as the unipolar world order in disguising its true intentions, with the design and reinforcement of the liberal international order. The perpetual conflation of democracy with justice and fairness has served as a critical tool in the hypnosis of the mass psyche under unipolarity, propelled by the liberal international order. The rules and regulations agreed upon by the international community post-1945 apparently applied only to the weak and continue to do so. It has been particularly pronounced under the unipolar world order, which could be termed the DPP model—the Dominance, Power, and Profit model. Under such a model, it should not be striking that humans have become further alienated. The system has produced obedient consumers of everything, from public policies to cultural trends, who passively accept the dictates of a system that prioritizes profit over people. Such a human condition may be further exacerbated under the policies endorsed by non-state actors, such as the World Economic Forum, in the age of hyper-digitalization.

Despite this unipolar dominance, gradual change is underway. The well-crafted hypnotic condition has been eroding for some time, as the world awakens to the rise of a new world order: the multipolar world order. Yet, the gradual birth of this new world order is painful due to the entrenched nature of hybrid imperialism.

In retrospect, it is evident that the world post-1945 has oscillated between Lenin’s imperialism and Kautsky’s ultra-imperialism, depending on the “contractual situation” of states in relation to one another within the international system of exploitation. This evolving capitalism, since the Second World War, sharpened its tools after the establishment of the unipolar world order. In its current form and function, it reflects both Kautsky and Lenin’s contrasting views, thus giving rise to hybrid imperialism. It is under this very condition that the fading world order is slowly but steadily being replaced by a new one, which makes many wonder what it will be like to live under the multipolar world order.

In a system where nationalism contradicts globalism, multipolarity seems to be the most conciliatory force that can emancipate the world from the crippling effects of unipolar dominance in the era of hybrid imperialism. The critical question in the face of this change is whether it will exacerbate or ameliorate the socio-economic situation of the so-called trivial many, or merely enhance the power and wealth of the vital few.

In the triad of hope, suffering, and endurance, the current politico-economic system casts an endless night upon many. What truly matters at this point is where the world stands in terms of values and principles, as the truth has long been distorted to gain political mileage.

While the world is transitioning into a new world order, intellectually rich debates are required in a world where the information ecosystem has promoted the ubiquitous three “I’s”—ignorance, inertia, and ideology—which have been exponentially successful in stultifying critical thinking abilities.

A vision benefiting people must be reinvigorated and the world must earnestly work towards achieving true progress for all, not just the select few, and restore hope when there is despair. This is the most pernicious element in the current matrix that has contributed to todays reality: Alienation 2.0.

The year 2025 marks the first quarter of the 21^st century. It also marks a turning point in the world’s politico-economic history, as the version of the world instilled through systemic indoctrination, particularly since the turn of the 21^st century, is no longer viable. This should not imply that the world is in uncharted territory. On the contrary, it is the same old world where essentially nothing has changed: the same mental biases and susceptibility to life’s desirable trappings remain and continue to constitute the cornerstone of human relations. Extraordinary popular delusions and the madness of crowds remain as relevant as ever. [1] Against the backdrop of this timeless human condition, this punctuated equilibrium is once again shrouded in twilight, in turn devouring bright minds. The question at this critical juncture is whether the world can rediscover the Owl of Minerva and act upon these changes.

Much has unfolded in the past 24 years. When examining the pulse of world affairs, the first striking feature is the demoralizing state of moral bankruptcy within the current international political order, which was established after World War II and then restructured into a unipolar world order following the Soviet Union’s demise. Indeed, this is not a new thread in the fabric of human existence. Once again, crude survival has overridden higher values and aspirations. In this sense, little has changed over the past years. It has been a constant principle throughout history. Hence, the existence of moral bankruptcy is the only constant in the world– not the principle of change.

Alienation 2.0

Aleksandr Dynkin:
World Order Transformation: Economy, Ideology, Technology

Where to begin? The blood-curdling genocide in the Gaza Strip [2], in which the U.S. and its allies have been actively complicit in [3], emerges as a key factor in the growing realization that there is a naive confidence in the values and principles reaffirmed and upheld by the liberal international order ossified in the post-1945 international political system. This demoralizing event represents yet another culmination of injustices plaguing human existence around the world and highlights the ineffectiveness of international organizations in addressing those injustices. [4] It shows the naked reality of the system despite the presumptions of peace, security, humanism, due process, fair trial and other hope-yielding constructions enshrined in international and domestic law. On top of that, more recently, then-President-elect Trump’s territorial claims regarding Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal represent a whole new level of disregard for and dismantlement of the principles that constitute the cornerstones of international relations. Do today’s trends uncover another arrogance of power, [5] contributing to collective delusion in the foreign policy establishment of the West? What kind of message do such statements convey to the former imperial powers? How can the loss of credibility and trust be dealt with? At a time when faith in humanity’s future is in tatters, these are the pervasive questions crucial to the common future of the world.

After the West’s provocation of what can be termed as the fratricidal conflict in Ukraine, bringing a greater detriment and suffering to average Ukrainians, the new NATO Secretary General’s recent speech to members of the European Parliament [6] serves to perpetuate global polarization, [7] benefiting those who have stakes in the military-industrial complex, rather than attempting to find common ground for mutual understanding and trust-based dialogue. This existing polarization is likely to be exacerbated by the reelection of Donald Trump, and the global majority will be subjected to more speculation than substantiation, benefiting those in power. Such circumscription caused by power blocs only creates false equivalence among member states and increases friction and tension with its “enemies.” [8] Instead of dismantling NATO once and for all, the organization is being obsessively and compulsively overextended. [9] With this, a critical question remains: at whose cost?

Nearly two centuries after Marx’s theory of alienation, the culmination of events in recent history—on top of growing economic challenges—serves as the foundation for Alienation 2.0, an evolved form of social and economic disconnection, underscoring the need for a radical overhaul of the global politico-economic system. It also asserts the global realization that as the first quarter of this century is underway, the morality and the most celebrated virtues that international law imparts to the global community have now been profoundly debased. [10] Grand narratives—beliefs in democracy, human rights, open economies, and constitutional government—have fundamentally faltered in their application. [11] The promise of peace and prosperity has been selectively granted under the liberal international order imposed on geopolitical entities. This spectacular fall from grace occurred in the very birthplace of these ideals: the West. Many across the globe are of the opinion that the politico-economic system is rigged against them and this group constitutes the silent majority on the world stage. Hence, the appeal of the isomorphic mimicry is no longer viable in the broad interpretation of the world and in the grand scheme of things, prompting new ways to think about it urgently and rigorously. A methodical approach is needed in this new paradigm of alienation to emerge from the persistent twilight. Such an approach requires the ackhnowledgement and meticulous analysis of three key issues in the current international system: the Pareto Principle, the rise of the kakistocracy, and the shifting world order in the era of hybrid imperialism.

The Pareto Principle

Zhao Huasheng, Andrey Kortunov:
The World in 2035: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

A small percentage of people controlling a large portion of a nation’s wealth is far from new. In fact, it is a phenomenon particularly evident since the Industrial Revolution. The purported end of the Cold War and the subsequent assertion of the unipolar world order, which ushered in all-pervasive neoliberal economic policies [12] in the name of dismantling the developed-underdeveloped dichotomy, have created a system in which in a time of crisis, there are not enough lifeboats to save everyone, despite promising one at the outset. Ostensibly, the ratio is no longer fixed at 80/20 in the Alienation 2.0 phase; it is significantly higher than 80 at this point in time. The elite hold annual meetings in the mountains, [13] resulting in lofty rhetoric that yield no results in rectifying the growing gap between the rich and the poor. Thus, in so many different dimensions, this ever-growing divide between the vital few and the trivial many [14] is on the edge of the precipice like never before and is expected to aggravate the situation further.

The political elite’s attempt to “fix” the economic system, particularly during the Washington Consensus years, is the root cause of today’s growing malaise and desperation, which are deeply intertwined with Alienation 2.0. One of the distinct and stark manifestations of this evolved alienation, since Marx’s Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 [15], is the global decline in fertility rates. Additionally, reduced progress on other social indicators also affects the majority of the global population. This decline has occurred despite the promise of neoliberal economic policies made at the outset.

In a nutshell, free-market fundamentalism has been nothing more than a means to satisfy unbridled greed, assiduously serving corporate power and maintaining the key structures of imperialist exploitation. This model of economic development, or license for plunder, was devised to serve neocolonialism and maintain global dominance, given the disproportionate influence exercised through predatory non-state financial institutions (and state institutions, due to their opaque nature) established by the West. Last year’s Nobel Prize in Economics awarded “for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity” [16] serves to validate, uphold and bolster this intricately woven system of exploitation and extraction perpetuated by the Global North. In other words, a symbolic capital, [17] produced by the West for the West, or a well-timed recognition, in light of the emerging multipolar world order. However, it is also not incidental, given the promotion of democracy—one of the most utilized essential tools of foreign policy in the West [18]—in Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson’s work, especially when there is no conclusive evidence that democratic governance leads to economic development. Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman were also part of this stream. [19] Despite Hayek’s belief—albeit a false one—that central economic control leaves no room for individual freedom, his advocacy for a free-market economy [20] has eventually led to a dystopian homogeneity of serfdom, but mostly only for a trivial many. In turn, notwithstanding this imposed serfdom, a conditioned state of perpetual bliss is expected and demanded of people, its serfs, so that the system keeps running.

The Unprincipled and Unqualified Ones

Ivan Timofeev:
Why Multilateral Diplomacy Is in Crisis

Governments are ruled by unprincipled, unqualified, and inexperienced individuals. In other words, the demoralizing regression taking place can be described as a kakistocracy. It is the root cause of the deep-seated dissatisfaction in the Alienation 2.0 phase. Notwithstanding its utmost pertinence to the current condition, this word is hardly mentioned in discussions aimed at solving society’s ills. Instead, democracy and other concepts characterizing liberal international order are advocated at compounding rates. Such a rendition is not incidental at all. The concept of democracy in its essence and exercise of—particularly through the use of various means to justify certain ends—has been and continuous to be in a symbiotic relationship with kakistocracy. What is more poignant is the undisputed fact that such unprincipled and unqualified individuals are in positions of power, with their guiding moral rule being “après moi, le déluge.” These individuals appoint others in their own image and likeness to serve the organized existence of humanity.

A synoptic view of human history reveals that the distillation of the most complex philosophical, political, and economic ideas and ideals ultimately boils down to integrity in one’s actions rather than rhetoric, regardless of the circumstances. However, credibility and moral consistency among those in positions of power within the great power politics of the unipolar world have become increasingly rare, vitiating the structures of the international system that were supposedly designed to provide peace, security, and genuine economic growth for the majority, rather than serve a handful of individuals at the top of the capitalist dystopia.

Another problem lies in the complete separation between the academic community and policymakers, which helps sustain kakistocracy. Research conducted by scholars often fails to translate into actionable measures. Academia has become a domain where scholars engage in rigorous research, cite each other, and compete for secure positions in the uphill battle that ensures their livelihood within a system presided over by free-market capitalism, the fulcrum of which is amorality. Thus, the well-designed web devours this group of individuals as well. Amid the myriad struggles confronting the human psyche, individuals in the academic community also experience estrangement under Alienation 2.0 to a certain degree, albeit with differing nuances across higher realms of society, politics, and consciousness.

Within the realm of ideas and deeper observations, intellectuals possess significant mental power in holding those in positions of power accountable and maintaining checks and balances. However, they have mostly failed to live up to this task, with few exceptions. Intellectual honesty is lacking at an astonishingly high level these days. This is one of the greatest indictments of today’s day and age.

The Shifting World Order in the Era of Hybrid Imperialism

Andrey Kortunov:
The Future Belongs to Inclusive Groups Like BRICS

The dustbins of human history are rife with the remnants of failed ideologies, collapsed empires, and broken promises that once sought to reshape the world order. The extent, depth, and breadth of world orders have been well-studied by scholars. Against the backdrop of numerous scholarly works, only one universal rule remains to embody the international system, as was penned by Thucydides: “The strong do as they please, and the weak suffer as they must.”

All world orders have functioned under this modus operandi. However, none have been as sophisticated as the unipolar world order in disguising its true intentions, with the design and reinforcement of the liberal international order. The perpetual conflation of democracy with justice and fairness has served as a critical tool [21] in the hypnosis of the mass psyche under unipolarity, propelled by the liberal international order. The rules and regulations agreed upon by the international community post-1945 apparently applied only to the weak and continue to do so. It has been particularly pronounced under the unipolar world order, which could be termed the DPP model—the Dominance, Power, and Profit model. Under such a model, it should not be striking that humans have become further alienated. The system has produced obedient consumers of everything, from public policies to cultural trends, who passively accept the dictates of a system that prioritizes profit over people. Such a human condition may be further exacerbated under the policies endorsed by non-state actors, such as the World Economic Forum, in the age of hyper-digitalization.

Despite this unipolar dominance, gradual change is underway. The well-crafted hypnotic condition has been eroding for some time, as the world awakens to the rise of a new world order: the multipolar world order. Yet, the gradual birth of this new world order is painful due to the entrenched nature of hybrid imperialism.

In retrospect, it is evident that the world post-1945 has oscillated between Lenin’s imperialism and Kautsky’s ultra-imperialism, depending on the “contractual situation” of states in relation to one another within the international system of exploitation. This evolving capitalism, since the Second World War, sharpened its tools after the establishment of the unipolar world order. In its current form and function, it reflects both Kautsky and Lenin’s contrasting views, thus giving rise to hybrid imperialism. It is under this very condition that the fading world order is slowly but steadily being replaced by a new one, which makes many wonder what it will be like to live under the multipolar world order.

In a system where nationalism contradicts globalism, multipolarity seems to be the most conciliatory force that can emancipate the world from the crippling effects of unipolar dominance in the era of hybrid imperialism. The critical question in the face of this change is whether it will exacerbate or ameliorate the socio-economic situation of the so-called trivial many, or merely enhance the power and wealth of the vital few.

In the Grand Scheme of Things

In the triad of hope, suffering, and endurance, the current politico-economic system casts an endless night upon many. What truly matters at this point is where the world stands in terms of values and principles, as the truth has long been distorted to gain political mileage.

While the world is transitioning into a new world order, intellectually rich debates are required in a world where the information ecosystem has promoted the ubiquitous three “I’s”—ignorance, inertia, and ideology—which have been exponentially successful in stultifying critical thinking abilities.

A vision benefiting people must be reinvigorated and the world must earnestly work towards achieving true progress for all, not just the select few, and restore hope when there is despair. This is the most pernicious element in the current matrix that has contributed to todays reality: Alienation 2.0.

1. “Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds” by Charles Mackay

2. Amnesty International. (2024, December 5). Amnesty International investigation concludes Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/12/amnesty-international-concludes-israel-is-committing-genocide-against-palestinians-in-gaza/

Israel’s crime of extermination, Acts of genocide in Gaza. (2024, December 19). Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/12/19/israels-crime-extermination-acts-genocide-gaza

UN Special Committee finds Israel’s warfare methods in Gaza consistent with genocide, including use of starvation as weapon of war. (2024, November 14). https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/11/un-special-committee-finds-israels-warfare-methods-gaza-consistent-genocide

3. US “complicit” in genocide through its unconditional support for Israel. (n.d.). https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/us-complicit-in-genocide-through-its-unconditional-support-for-israel/3242882

4. Particularly, the UN Security Council has become obsolete and is not equipped to handle geopolitical shifts that are underway. In its final actualization, multipolar world order will need to carefully consider a better construction to adapt to these changes.

5. Fulbright, J. William (1967), The Arrogance of Power, Random House

6. Discussion with new Nato Secretary General, Mark Rutte. (2025, January 13). [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved January 14, 2025, from https://www.youtube.com/live/J0eRkOkBk-s?si=gtu9MNdPImeNZzPH

7. Which, in turn, disrupts their own societies despite claiming the opposite.

8. Namely Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran.

9. NATO to enhance military presence in the Baltic Sea. (2024, December 30). Retrieved January 21, 2025, from https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_231800.htm

10. Another form of alienation has been underway for some time in the European Union. An inefficient and bureaucratic structure, which has failed to account for the varying economic conditions of its member states, is the source of this alienation.

11. Seemingly, the atrocities of WWII were not enough.

12. While this new phase of capitalism began in the late 1970s, it was significantly exported to the rest of the world by the West following the establishment of the unipolar world order.

13. The World Economic Forum Annual Meetings.

14. This phrase belongs to Dr. Joseph M. Juran.

15. Marx, K. (1932). Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844. Marxists Internet Archive. https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/download/pdf/Economic-Philosophic-Manuscripts-1844.pdf

16. The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2024. (n.d.). NobelPrize.org. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/economic-sciences/2024/press-release/

17. Bourdieu, P. (1983). The Forms of Capital.

18. Democracy as a casus belli.

19. Both were awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics.

20. Hayek, Friedrich von (1960). The Constitution of Liberty. University of Chicago Press.

21. A number of advocates on the international platform champion “democracy and human rights.” One prominent example of this trend is the work of Reza Pahlavi, through which he aims to bring “democracy and human rights” to Iran.