Introduction
The world order has been discussed in political science for hundreds of years. In his article “The Clash of Civilizations?” Samuel P. Huntington argues that the post-Cold War world will be characterized by conflicts between civilizations. He claims that people will start to identify more with their cultural and religious identities, leading to conflicts. Thus, according to Huntington’s argument, cultural and religious differences are the main factors that led to the clash of civilizations in the post-Cold War period.
Huntington’s Argument
Throughout the article, Huntington emphasizes the individuality of each nation. The author argues that the world is divided into several civilizations, each with its unique culture, religion, and history (Huntington 25). He identifies several major civilizations: Western, Confucian, Japanese, Islamic, Hindu, Slavic-Orthodox, Latin American, and African (Huntington 25).
According to Huntington, conflicts between these civilizations will be the main cause of conflict in the post-Cold War world (Huntington 30). The writer claims these conflicts will be driven by cultural and religious differences (Huntington 30). He states that individuals tend to identify more with their cultural and religious identities than with their national identities. Thus, people will start to view those with different backgrounds and identities as threatening their way of life. As a result, this will lead to clashes between civilizations.
Personal Opinion
While I agree with some aspects of Huntington’s argument, I do not believe conflicts between civilizations will be the main cause of clashes in the post-Cold War world. While cultural and religious differences are essential, many other factors, including economic interests, political ideology, and territorial disputes, contribute to conflicts between countries.
Furthermore, I believe that Huntington’s argument is overly simplistic and essentialist. He believes that people’s cultural and religious identities are fixed and unchanging and that they will always view those with opposing identities as a threat. In reality, people’s identities are complex and multifaceted, and they can change over time.
Conclusion
Hence, according to Samuel P. Huntington’s viewpoint, the post-Cold War era’s major causes of the clash of civilizations are cultural and religious differences. He claims that people typically connect with their cultural and religious identities. The author concludes that, eventually, this will lead to conflicts between nations. Huntington’s argument, in my opinion, is unduly fundamentalist and simplistic. The identities of individuals are diverse, multidimensional, and dynamic.
Work Cited
Huntington, Samuel P. The clash of civilizations?Foreign Affairs, vol. 72, no. 3, 1993, pp. 22-49. Web.