ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

  The 21st century is no longer the "end of history" but the dawn of a fractured epoch. The U.S.-led liberal order, ascendant after the Cold War, now faces existential strain as authoritarian assertiveness, economic nationalism, and technological disruption redefine global power. From the battlefields of Ukraine to the semiconductor factories of Taiwan, nations are scrambling to adapt to a world where alliances are fluid, institutions are paralyzed, and the rules of engagement are rewritten daily. This is not a return to Cold War bipolarity—it is a chaotic transition to a multipolarity where power is diffuse, and disorder is the new normal. 1. The Erosion of the Post-Cold War Order The unipolar moment is over. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 shattered the illusion that great-power conquest was obsolete, while China’s rise has systematically challenged U.S. dominance in trade, technology, and military reach. The West’s toolkit—sanctions, NATO expansion, and ...