The Liberal Order in Peril: The Future of the World Order with the West against the Rising Rest

Executive Summary

Published by the Istanbul Policy Center in March 2015, this report examines the growing fragility of the liberal international order in the context of the “rise of the Rest” and the perceived decline of Western hegemony. Based on a roundtable conference held at Columbia University’s Reid Hall in Paris, the study argues that the West’s material and ideological dominance has weakened, while emerging powers are reshaping the foundations of global governance.

The report emphasizes that countries such as China are separating the economic and democratic dimensions of the liberal order by embracing market-oriented principles while challenging Western political norms. This transformation reflects a broader shift in the international system, where non-Western powers increasingly influence global economic and political arrangements.

Regional crises in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Turkey are presented as signs of growing global disorder and a “democratic disconnect” within the Western world. These developments demonstrate the limitations of existing institutions and raise questions about the sustainability of a Western-led international order.

The report concludes that the future global order is likely to become “less American and less liberal.” It argues that the West should move beyond the pursuit of a single hegemonic model and instead develop a culturally sensitive dialogue with emerging powers in order to establish a shared, rules-based international framework.