Changes

With the demise of the [[Soviet Union]], [[Francis Fukuyama]] declared the "end of history."  The "unipolar moment" had arrived, with the [[United States]] being the "only [[Superpower]]". The United States spoke of a "rules based order", which it empowered itself to enforce while freely violating those same "rules" that it imposed upon others, in order to benefit itself.  With the U.S. dollar as a "global reserve currency" and the [[SWIFT]] network monitoring and carrying out international banking transactions, and a free-wheeling Congress willing to print and issue more dollars in circulation globally through [[deficit spending]] and debt financing, the United States was able to persuade, coerce, and blackmail nations with promises of aid and loans, or the threat to withhold funding.

With the demise of the [[Soviet Union]], [[Francis Fukuyama]] declared the "end of history."  The "unipolar moment" had arrived, with the [[United States]] being the "only [[Superpower]]". The United States spoke of a "rules based order", which it empowered itself to enforce while freely violating those same "rules" that it imposed upon others, in order to benefit itself.  With the U.S. dollar as a "global reserve currency" and the [[SWIFT]] network monitoring and carrying out international banking transactions, and a free-wheeling Congress willing to print and issue more dollars in circulation globally through [[deficit spending]] and debt financing, the United States was able to persuade, coerce, and blackmail nations with promises of aid and loans, or the threat to withhold funding.

After a series of actions violating the "rules based order", beginning with the [[Kosovo war]] in 1998 and dismemberment of [[Serbia]], the 2003 [[Iraq war|invasion of Iraq]], and the 2014 overthrow of the democratically elected, legitimate government of [[Ukraine]] - all in violation of the Charter of the [[United Nations]] - many [[nation state]]s, members of the [[UN General Assembly]] (often referred to as "the developing world" and "global South") became fed up with the hypocrisy and double standards.  

After a series of actions that began with the [[Kosovo war]] in 1998 and dismemberment of [[Serbia]], the 2003 [[Iraq war|invasion of Iraq]], and the 2014 overthrow of the democratically elected, legitimate government of [[Ukraine]] - all in violation of the Charter of the [[United Nations]] - many [[nation state]]s, members of the [[UN General Assembly]] (often referred to as "the developing world" and "global South") became fed up with the hypocrisy and double standards.  

The United States, as head of the [[Western alliance]], and [[the West]] itself, cast off its illusions of "[[liberal democracy]]" and came to be dominated by [[corrupt]] [[globalist]] [[oligarch]]s.  A multipolar world began to emerge, rejecting Western attempts at blackmail through economic sanctions.  Caving into American demands meant a loss of [[sovereignty]], and these developing nations wished to preserve their [[traditional values]], and follow their own course of [[social]], [[political]], and [[economic]] development.

The United States, as head of the [[Western alliance]], and [[the West]] itself, cast off its illusions of "[[liberal democracy]]" and came to be dominated by [[corrupt]] [[globalist]] [[oligarch]]s.  The transition to a multipolar world began to emerge, rejecting Western attempts at blackmail through economic sanctions.  Caving into American demands meant a loss of [[sovereignty]], and these developing nations wished to preserve their [[traditional values]], and follow their own course of [[social]], [[political]], and [[economic]] development.

 

==The BRICS challenge==

==The BRICS challenge==