The Emergence of the Multi-Polar Authoritarian World

Looking Back from 2024

By: Robbin Laird

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

This book explores the emerging multipolar authoritarian world and the challenges it presents to the United States and its allies. The essays in the book examine a range of issues, including China's growing economic and military power, Russia's assertive foreign policy, the decline of the U.S.'s global leadership, and the rise of global authoritarianism. The authors argue that the world is moving towards a more unstable and uncertain future, and that Western democracies need to rethink their strategies for dealing with the new global order.

Among the key questions addressed are: What are the main drivers of the shift away from the liberal democratic "rules based order"?

How do the actions of Russia, China, the United States and Europe affect the shaping of a new world order?

What challenges do the liberal democracies face in maintaining their influence in the context of the rise of multipolar authoritarianism?

The book includes essays produced by the Second Line of Defense and defense.info team during the first 15 years of publication by these two websites. The essays provide real time analysis of changes occurring throughout that period of time.

As Brian Morra, a noted strategic analyst and author wrote about the book:

"This book takes a look backward at the factors and forces that created the world in which we now live. It provides a rear-view mirror image of how the multi-polar, authoritarian world came to be. It describes how the post-war Western system has become less credible and less important to the global south and to an aggressive collection of authoritarian regimes.

"These countries – pariahs, emergent global south economies, and important regional powers – have created a shadow, parallel universe of economic, trade, and political institutions that is only vaguely appreciated by foreign policy elites in Washington. This parallel order explains why Western economic sanctions do not have the ‘bite’ that they once did. It explains how Russia has been able to sell its oil and gas despite extreme measures to prevent such sales on the part of the West.

"Our foreign policy elite grew up in a world characterized by two epoch-shaping events: the end of the Cold War and the 9/11 shock and resultant two decades of counter-terror war. It is no surprise that many of our officials are stuck in the mental amber of America’s unipolar moment and the tactical exigencies of the post-9/11 wars. They are accustomed to a United States that is the unquestioned global leader, able to dictate its own terms to the world, and willing to back up those terms with extreme sanctions and awesome military force when required or desired."

Morra concludes about the importance of the book: "The book provides a significant contribution to our understanding of how we came to live in a multi-polar, authoritarian world. I urge you to read it and ponder its many lessons."