AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Vicar Sayeedi
April 13, 2022
This past weekend, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan lost a no-confidence vote in the nation’s legislative assembly and as a result he was summarily dismissed from office. No Pakistani Prime Minister has ever completed their term in office, but Khan was the first official to have been forced from his post in this unfortunate manner. In the days and weeks preceding the vote, Khan and his supporters accused the United States of conspiring with Pakistan’s opposition parties to engineer his ouster. Khan had been following an agenda that was widely viewed as being against the interests of the World Order established and upheld by the United States, the European Union and a few democracies in Asia [Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea] and this reality underpinned his claim of America’s hand in his ouster.
Although no evidence has been presented to substantiate Khan’s claim of subterfuge by America or other Western powers, if it did happen, we must implicitly accept it. Unfortunately, the time when all nations of the world can have complete agency, autonomy and sovereignty to conduct their affairs as they see fit has now passed. We live in a Unipolar World Order with the United States at the helm and all of humankind has been and continues to be a substantial beneficiary of this Order. As such, we must do everything we can to preserve and uphold it.
For some who are now reading or listening to this thesis it may be quite a shocking moment. Nevertheless, a convincing rational argument can be made to support the merits of this contrarian and non-obvious perspective so let’s try and do just that and see where it takes us. Then, we can finish with a discussion on how we can work together to ensure that such a Unipolar World Order is strengthened to protect against the insidious designs of nefarious actors who might seek to commandeer its reins and abuse its unprecedented power. Given the extraordinary capabilities of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence now resident at the helm of a Unipolar World Order and the very unfortunate abuses we have witnessed in the past two decades, this is becoming increasingly critical.
In the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the world was left with only one functioning ideology of governance: the Liberal Democracy. This Unipolar World Order was paired with an economic system underpinned by free markets. The Bipolar World Order – or what is more commonly recognized as the West’s Cold War with the Soviet Union – that precedes today’s Order had officially been in place from March of 1947 when American President Harry Truman appeared before a joint session of the United States Congress and delivered an address which has come to be known as the Truman Doctrine. In this Doctrine, Truman stated that the United States would provide economic, military and political support to all Democratic nations that were under threat from Authoritarian actors, both domestic and international.
As such, the Truman Doctrine signaled a tectonic shift in U.S. foreign policy – America’s historical approach had always been to withdraw from conflicts which did not directly involve it, and this was now replaced by the possibility of intervening in conflicts underway at great distance from its shores. This formal declaration of Cold War – or Bipolar World Order – had remained in place from 1947 until 1991 when the fifteen-member Soviet Union and the eight-member Warsaw Pact finally collapsed. At this point, it’s critical to note that the US was forced into its role as head of this Liberal Democratic Order – America did not actively seek this role. During the first half of the 20th century, following its reluctant engagement in WW1 and WW2, America was forced to sacrifice millions of lives and tens of trillions of dollars to establish and maintain this Order. So given this unprecedented investment of human life and national wealth, we begin to understand why officials charged with upholding today’s Unipolar system are unwilling to allow rogue actors anywhere in the world to remain unchallenged if they actively work to undermine or unsettle it.
Thus, it’s quite alarming to see that this Order is now actively being threatened by the collaborative efforts of China and its vassal states [Russia] and this is unacceptable. These efforts must be made to fail because the historical record clearly confirms that any alternative World Order would be collectively far worse for humankind. Bipolar worlds like the Cold War or Multipolar World Orders similar to what humankind has experienced in the 19th or early 20th centuries were very bloody and violent. Today’s world under American unipolarity is far safer for everyone everywhere despite the periodic and wholly intolerable lapses that need to be rigorously checked and contained.
The evidence of the superiority of a Unipolar World Order though, is incontrovertible – the data clearly shows that the world is far safer and better off under this system than under any other we have experienced in the past 12,000 years since the birth of civilization. Today, most citizens of the world are far more likely to die from exposure to sugar, salt and fat than from exposure to gunpowder or sharp objects. Furthermore, the regulation of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies and the existential challenges facing humankind today – for example, Climate Change and subsequent ecological collapse – cannot be credibly managed if the world is subsumed by Bipolar or Multipolar Orders.
This regression is already on display as nations actively work to secure alternative sources of fossil fuels in the wake of the hostilities perpetrated by Russia in Ukraine. As we observe this awful conflict unfold on our social media and tv’s, we are reminded of the 18th century when global power was distributed between England, France, Portugal, Spain and a few others and this multipolarity resulted in incessant conflict and war on the European continent and in the many colonies governed by these Imperialists. Global violence was endemic and wholly untenable if humankind was to solve the multitude of problems it was facing.
Contrasting the violent reality of the 18th century with today’s Unipolar world, the European Union now spends only ~2% of GDP on military expenditures whereas in the 18th century, when Europe was ruled by Emperors and Monarchs, they would typically spend as much as 70% of the revenue of the State on militarism – defending their own borders or conquering the lands of others. Now though, all the money previously expended on militarism and conquest is spent on health, education and social welfare as well as on cutting edge research in industry, medicine, science, technology and the Arts. All of humankind has and continues to benefit from these European investments and similar ones in America.
Consider, for example, that under this Unipolar Order the Liberal Democratic West produced six Coronavirus vaccines within nine months of initially sequencing the genome of COVID-19 and subsequently entered these vaccines into clinical trials. Then consider that by February of 2022, the Biden Administration had given 470 million vaccines to poor and middle-income countries with a commitment to contribute a total of 1.2B vaccines. The European Union also planned to contribute hundreds of millions more vaccines through the CEPI, COVAX and GAVI vaccine alliances established by the US, EU and other global health agencies. As a result, hundreds of millions or even billions of lives around the world have been saved from the ravages of this awful pandemic.
Consider also that since the birth of this Unipolar World Order in 1991, perhaps one billion people around the world, primarily in Africa and Asia, have been lifted out of poverty. This is an achievement of Unipolarity that has never been matched or even approached under any other global order. It is unprecedented.
To continue, the rise of China was also made possible under this Unipolar system. Consider that the aggregate GDP of the Liberal Democracies at the helm of this Unipolar World Order is ~$60T and that China was only able to rise to its current standing as the second largest economy in the world by trading in the market economy established by the US and the EU. China would not have been able to achieve its rise from 1% of global GDP in 2000 to 15% in 2020 by trading with Authoritarian states such as North Korea or Russia.
But now, if China forces a new Bipolar Order with Russia amongst its vassal states, the world will be far less safe for all of us. This means that military budgets will be forced to rise amongst these Liberal Democratic States that uphold the Unipolar World Order and thus there will be far less money for the needs of humankind. Investment in health, education and social welfare and in industry, medicine, science, technology and the Arts will all wane. It is also likely that many of those one billion who rose from poverty under American-led Unipolarity will now return to that same poverty. This is already underway as a result of the conflict in Ukraine – Africa and the Middle East depend upon grain and other agricultural exports from Russia and Ukraine that are shipped via the Black Sea ports of Crimea and Odessa. These exports make their way through the Bosphorus and into the Mediterranean Sea where they serve the needs of millions of vulnerable people, but those shipments have now stopped. Ukraine is also unable to sow seeds for the next autumn harvest and this will further exacerbate food insecurity and political instability in these places. In fact, the Arab Spring some years ago was triggered by similar rapidly rising food prices and insecurity.
Thus, we can see that the case for upholding an America-led Unipolar World Order supported by investments made by the Liberal Democracies of America and the EU is a very strong one. But as individuals, we must actively and tirelessly engage and do our very best to ensure that nefarious characters that have hijacked the reins of power in America – as we’ve witnessed in our recent past – are prevented from doing so in the future. We know they hurt innocent people everywhere and so as Americans we owe this debt to all of humankind. If we fail in this solemn duty, then the negative outcomes will be our responsibility.
Finally, with the rise of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies including Artificial Intelligence, we have the ability to ensure very precise checks and balances on centers of power within this Unipolar Order to prevent abuses of the kind we have seen in the past. Where humans can be aware and vigilant within certain limits, AI can monitor activities and plans during every second of the day. It’s ability to ensure transparency is unlimited and can serve an important purpose in building confidence in this Order. If we can incorporate such an AI Agent into our system of checks and balances in a manner similar to the way we have constitutionally protected freedom of the press, we may have a model for global governance that can earn the trust of people everywhere. It has the potential to be the most just form of government imaginable within human societies.
In summary, as beneficiaries of a deep understanding of human history, international affairs and political science we must never work or wish for the demise of this Unipolar America-led World Order – it would, in effect, be a wish for our own destruction, those whom we care deeply for and for all of humankind. Instead, recognizing the extraordinary achievements of a Unipolar World Order, we should all work to strengthen and improve it for the benefit of all humankind.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is also the author of several books. His most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair.
Vicar has lectured widely about Artificial Intelligence. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well. In April 2022, Vicar will be lecturing at Cambridge Library adjacent to Harvard Square.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Vicar Sayeedi
April 13, 2022
This past weekend, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan lost a no-confidence vote in the nation’s legislative assembly and as a result he was summarily dismissed from office. No Pakistani Prime Minister has ever completed their term in office, but Khan was the first official to have been forced from his post in this unfortunate manner. In the days and weeks preceding the vote, Khan and his supporters accused the United States of conspiring with Pakistan’s opposition parties to engineer his ouster. Khan had been following an agenda that was widely viewed as being against the interests of the World Order established and upheld by the United States, the European Union and a few democracies in Asia [Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea] and this reality underpinned his claim of America’s hand in his ouster.
Although no evidence has been presented to substantiate Khan’s claim of subterfuge by America or other Western powers, if it did happen, we must implicitly accept it. Unfortunately, the time when all nations of the world can have complete agency, autonomy and sovereignty to conduct their affairs as they see fit has now passed. We live in a Unipolar World Order with the United States at the helm and all of humankind has been and continues to be a substantial beneficiary of this Order. As such, we must do everything we can to preserve and uphold it.
For some who are now reading or listening to this thesis it may be quite a shocking moment. Nevertheless, a convincing rational argument can be made to support the merits of this contrarian and non-obvious perspective so let’s try and do just that and see where it takes us. Then, we can finish with a discussion on how we can work together to ensure that such a Unipolar World Order is strengthened to protect against the insidious designs of nefarious actors who might seek to commandeer its reins and abuse its unprecedented power. Given the extraordinary capabilities of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence now resident at the helm of a Unipolar World Order and the very unfortunate abuses we have witnessed in the past two decades, this is becoming increasingly critical.
In the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the world was left with only one functioning ideology of governance: the Liberal Democracy. This Unipolar World Order was paired with an economic system underpinned by free markets. The Bipolar World Order – or what is more commonly recognized as the West’s Cold War with the Soviet Union – that precedes today’s Order had officially been in place from March of 1947 when American President Harry Truman appeared before a joint session of the United States Congress and delivered an address which has come to be known as the Truman Doctrine. In this Doctrine, Truman stated that the United States would provide economic, military and political support to all Democratic nations that were under threat from Authoritarian actors, both domestic and international.
As such, the Truman Doctrine signaled a tectonic shift in U.S. foreign policy – America’s historical approach had always been to withdraw from conflicts which did not directly involve it, and this was now replaced by the possibility of intervening in conflicts underway at great distance from its shores. This formal declaration of Cold War – or Bipolar World Order – had remained in place from 1947 until 1991 when the fifteen-member Soviet Union and the eight-member Warsaw Pact finally collapsed. At this point, it’s critical to note that the US was forced into its role as head of this Liberal Democratic Order – America did not actively seek this role. During the first half of the 20th century, following its reluctant engagement in WW1 and WW2, America was forced to sacrifice millions of lives and tens of trillions of dollars to establish and maintain this Order. So given this unprecedented investment of human life and national wealth, we begin to understand why officials charged with upholding today’s Unipolar system are unwilling to allow rogue actors anywhere in the world to remain unchallenged if they actively work to undermine or unsettle it.
Thus, it’s quite alarming to see that this Order is now actively being threatened by the collaborative efforts of China and its vassal states [Russia] and this is unacceptable. These efforts must be made to fail because the historical record clearly confirms that any alternative World Order would be collectively far worse for humankind. Bipolar worlds like the Cold War or Multipolar World Orders similar to what humankind has experienced in the 19th or early 20th centuries were very bloody and violent. Today’s world under American unipolarity is far safer for everyone everywhere despite the periodic and wholly intolerable lapses that need to be rigorously checked and contained.
The evidence of the superiority of a Unipolar World Order though, is incontrovertible – the data clearly shows that the world is far safer and better off under this system than under any other we have experienced in the past 12,000 years since the birth of civilization. Today, most citizens of the world are far more likely to die from exposure to sugar, salt and fat than from exposure to gunpowder or sharp objects. Furthermore, the regulation of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies and the existential challenges facing humankind today – for example, Climate Change and subsequent ecological collapse – cannot be credibly managed if the world is subsumed by Bipolar or Multipolar Orders.
This regression is already on display as nations actively work to secure alternative sources of fossil fuels in the wake of the hostilities perpetrated by Russia in Ukraine. As we observe this awful conflict unfold on our social media and tv’s, we are reminded of the 18th century when global power was distributed between England, France, Portugal, Spain and a few others and this multipolarity resulted in incessant conflict and war on the European continent and in the many colonies governed by these Imperialists. Global violence was endemic and wholly untenable if humankind was to solve the multitude of problems it was facing.
Contrasting the violent reality of the 18th century with today’s Unipolar world, the European Union now spends only ~2% of GDP on military expenditures whereas in the 18th century, when Europe was ruled by Emperors and Monarchs, they would typically spend as much as 70% of the revenue of the State on militarism – defending their own borders or conquering the lands of others. Now though, all the money previously expended on militarism and conquest is spent on health, education and social welfare as well as on cutting edge research in industry, medicine, science, technology and the Arts. All of humankind has and continues to benefit from these European investments and similar ones in America.
Consider, for example, that under this Unipolar Order the Liberal Democratic West produced six Coronavirus vaccines within nine months of initially sequencing the genome of COVID-19 and subsequently entered these vaccines into clinical trials. Then consider that by February of 2022, the Biden Administration had given 470 million vaccines to poor and middle-income countries with a commitment to contribute a total of 1.2B vaccines. The European Union also planned to contribute hundreds of millions more vaccines through the CEPI, COVAX and GAVI vaccine alliances established by the US, EU and other global health agencies. As a result, hundreds of millions or even billions of lives around the world have been saved from the ravages of this awful pandemic.
Consider also that since the birth of this Unipolar World Order in 1991, perhaps one billion people around the world, primarily in Africa and Asia, have been lifted out of poverty. This is an achievement of Unipolarity that has never been matched or even approached under any other global order. It is unprecedented.
To continue, the rise of China was also made possible under this Unipolar system. Consider that the aggregate GDP of the Liberal Democracies at the helm of this Unipolar World Order is ~$60T and that China was only able to rise to its current standing as the second largest economy in the world by trading in the market economy established by the US and the EU. China would not have been able to achieve its rise from 1% of global GDP in 2000 to 15% in 2020 by trading with Authoritarian states such as North Korea or Russia.
But now, if China forces a new Bipolar Order with Russia amongst its vassal states, the world will be far less safe for all of us. This means that military budgets will be forced to rise amongst these Liberal Democratic States that uphold the Unipolar World Order and thus there will be far less money for the needs of humankind. Investment in health, education and social welfare and in industry, medicine, science, technology and the Arts will all wane. It is also likely that many of those one billion who rose from poverty under American-led Unipolarity will now return to that same poverty. This is already underway as a result of the conflict in Ukraine – Africa and the Middle East depend upon grain and other agricultural exports from Russia and Ukraine that are shipped via the Black Sea ports of Crimea and Odessa. These exports make their way through the Bosphorus and into the Mediterranean Sea where they serve the needs of millions of vulnerable people, but those shipments have now stopped. Ukraine is also unable to sow seeds for the next autumn harvest and this will further exacerbate food insecurity and political instability in these places. In fact, the Arab Spring some years ago was triggered by similar rapidly rising food prices and insecurity.
Thus, we can see that the case for upholding an America-led Unipolar World Order supported by investments made by the Liberal Democracies of America and the EU is a very strong one. But as individuals, we must actively and tirelessly engage and do our very best to ensure that nefarious characters that have hijacked the reins of power in America – as we’ve witnessed in our recent past – are prevented from doing so in the future. We know they hurt innocent people everywhere and so as Americans we owe this debt to all of humankind. If we fail in this solemn duty, then the negative outcomes will be our responsibility.
Finally, with the rise of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies including Artificial Intelligence, we have the ability to ensure very precise checks and balances on centers of power within this Unipolar Order to prevent abuses of the kind we have seen in the past. Where humans can be aware and vigilant within certain limits, AI can monitor activities and plans during every second of the day. It’s ability to ensure transparency is unlimited and can serve an important purpose in building confidence in this Order. If we can incorporate such an AI Agent into our system of checks and balances in a manner similar to the way we have constitutionally protected freedom of the press, we may have a model for global governance that can earn the trust of people everywhere. It has the potential to be the most just form of government imaginable within human societies.
In summary, as beneficiaries of a deep understanding of human history, international affairs and political science we must never work or wish for the demise of this Unipolar America-led World Order – it would, in effect, be a wish for our own destruction, those whom we care deeply for and for all of humankind. Instead, recognizing the extraordinary achievements of a Unipolar World Order, we should all work to strengthen and improve it for the benefit of all humankind.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is also the author of several books. His most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair.
Vicar has lectured widely about Artificial Intelligence. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well. In April 2022, Vicar will be lecturing at Cambridge Library adjacent to Harvard Square.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
No comments have been added yet.
