ALMIRON: Cold War still continues
Column: The Other Side of the Story
Are we really close to "The End of History?"
Political scientist Francis Fukuyama used this phrase to refer to the event in which the ideological forces of fascism and communism would vanish, and liberal democracy would remain the dominant form of government. This concept is the driving force behind the "free world," as we understand it, whether it be in the U.S. or Western Europe.
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991 were paramount to the end of the Cold War. What some experts in international relations expected, though, was more optimistic than what we see today, 32 years later.
While, at first, it seemed like Russia was open to establishing relations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) after signing the Partnership for Peace program in 1994, that cooperation deteriorated and devolved in 2004 when Putin-led Russia provoked trade disputes with Ukraine.
Today is a much worse reality. Russia's actions until the present and the tensions between China and the U.S. have hit the international community, leading to my grim conclusion: The Cold War never ended. Or, if it really did, we surely have a second Cold War on our hands.
Perhaps labeling the regimes that posed a threat to the democracies in the U.S. and Western Europe in the 20th century as either communist or fascist was not enough to understand what is creating this international turmoil. Both rivals of democracy have an obvious and strong similarity: authoritarian leadership.
Very few leaders nowadays would call themselves communist. In the past, some may have openly referred to themselves as fascists. But if there is something that none in their right mind would have called themselves, it is authoritarian.
Communism is widely identified as Left-wing, and fascism is often identified as a Right-wing extreme. Authoritarianism knows no boundaries, though.
Russia's leadership is highly connected to Right-wing populism, and the longer-standing China, ruled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), was built on communist principles. The countries do not necessarily have to be allies to say that together, with their current policies, they constitute the biggest barrier to the spread of democratic values that emphasize liberty and justice.
The comments that rival world powers toss at each other today are the same, if not worse, than those of the 20th century. The threats coming from the Kremlin may be repetitive and not taken seriously by some, but the tension still remains.
The democratic principles of the "free world," especially the U.S., are not invulnerable either, and proof of that exists in the rise of far-Right politics.
In my article about the Ohio train derailment in March, I ended it by stating, "(President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s) administration needs to keep its guard up, or we may see democracy lose on its main promoter's home front before anywhere else in the world." Our political system has seen better days, indeed.
The struggle against authoritarianism is not just about one world power against another. Each nation must also deal with it internally. The 20th century saw a massive push for democratic principles with the rise of the civil rights movement.
In the U.S., we must look at what civil society is fighting for today. The Republican Party's attacks on LGBTQ+ rights have prompted many to stand up and express their disapproval. Organizing for equal rights today, like in the past, is also linked to the labor movement.
Both movements encompass the current wave of anti-authoritarianism and will be as instrumental to the U.S.'s successful ideological standing as the result of the civil rights movement was. Back then, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped the U.S. defend itself as a "free country." It must again prove it is a free country by defending the rights of current grieving communities.
I hope these comparisons serve to illustrate my main point that the tensions, both national and international, have not decreased. Only the actors have changed.
The current tensions emphasize the struggle between freedom and authoritarianism. It does not matter if a government is Right-wing or Left-wing as long as it provides the necessary protection to its citizens.
When that happens, we could logically see more harmony in the international community. The Cold War is ongoing, but there is something that we can do to influence its course. For those who wish to see this possibility come to fruition, the change starts at home.
One may ask themself what they would have done in past historical events, but history is also continuing to happen in the present, and we must come together to join the ongoing plans in our civil society to confront anti-democracy.
Paulo Almiron is a senior in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in political science and minoring in planning and public policy. His column, "The Other Side Of The Story," runs on alternate Mondays.
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