Towards a post-hegemonic world: The multipolar threat to the multilateral order

Zaki Laïdi (1)

1 CEE - Centre d'études européennes et de politique comparée (Sciences Po, CNRS)

Multipolarity, understood as a global redistribution of power among an increasing number of actors, will not necessarily lead to a strengthening of a multilateral, cooperative order. In fact, the opposite is now occurring. If anything, multipolarity is placing multilateralism on an ever more precarious footing. Thus while emerging powers will increasingly contest Western hegemony, they will not want – nor be able – to replace it. This would constitute transition without hegemony – the very definition of multipolarity.

Mots clés: multilateralism; Member states; WTO; UNFCCC; European Union; Bilateralism; Multipolarity

Domaines: Science politique

Zaki Laïdi. Towards a post-hegemonic world: The multipolar threat to the multilateral order. International Politics, 2014, 51 (3), pp.350 - 365. ⟨10.1057/ip.2014.13⟩. ⟨hal-03460497⟩