The Clash of Civilizations

I found Huntington’s article in the “Clash of Civilizations” very intriguing. When we think about the way the world is divided today, we often point to economic differences or current alliances between states. But ultimately, what these differences amount to is fundamentally cultural. It is no coincidence that the United States and Europe and major allies and not the United States and Brazil. It is because the cultural similarities and differences ultimately determine alliances.
I also found Huntington’s argument for why there would be a clash between the civilizations convincing. If we look back through history, it is evident that the major clashes have occurred between various civilizations. Civilizations will continue to rise and fall as they have in the past. Huntington raises a good point when he says that political and economic differences can be overcome and changed by time. However, one cannot change who they are. Fundamental differences of culture, religion, language, and history cannot be easily changed. History has proven that cultural clashes have always been the most bloody and devastating. There are definitely critical factors that have arisen as the result of increased globalization. Civilizations interact with one another more frequently and therefore become of the differences that exist between them. Forces such as multinational corporations, supranational organizations, and transnational movement have all contributed to the decline nation state. Another important consequence of multilateralism is economic regionalism. This has also led to a rediscovery of cultural ties. I think it will be interesting to see how this theory plays out in the future.