In Samuel P Huntington's "The Clash of Civilizations", the author predicts that the planet is growing ever more divided by its different cultural identities. The author believes that the growing resistance to the globalization of the planet will eventually lead to the demise of the nation-state and lead to the next major world war along cultural lines.
Evidence supporting this argument can be seen with the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and increasing Asian isolationism. However, it is unlikely the world will descend into the dire, archaic chaos predicted in Huntington's article. In reality, cultures and religions are as diverse and complicated as governments. Past examples have shown that religion and culture is not always a unifying factor
Examples of Muslims and Christians Working Together
Although there are signs that many people in the world are reluctant to conform to a global (and sometimes western) culture, especially in the Middle and Far East, it is unlikely this resistance will lead to global outbreaks of violence along purely cultural lines. For instance, although there has been a long and bloody conflict between Muslims and Christians, it has not stopped the two sides from working together against their own cultures for matters of self-interest.
During the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980's, the Christian U.S. supported the Muslim Mujahedeen against the Christian Soviets. Although there was mutual suspicion and mistrust, personal and national interest trumped religious and cultural differences. Also, during the Iran-Iraq War, Iraq accepted massive amounts of military aid from Western powers to fight another Islamic nation. The war was fought for the control of oil fields and power and religious similarities was a mute point.
Countries and People are Motivated by Self-Interest
National self interest always triumphs over traditional values in today’s modern society. This can be seen in the Westernization of many Asian cultures despite the reluctance of many of the Asian people. Governments know that to compete economically in this global economy, the customs and practices of other nations must be adapted. This at times means sacrificing your own customs.
For instance, although the Chinese feel that they are culturally superior to the West, you will see that many of the Chinese populous eat, shop, and wear many of the same things Americans do. Whether that be drinking a Coke, eating at McDonald’s, or shopping at Wal-Mart, many of the same things Americans do in America can be found in almost every country on Earth. This is why the forces of so-called tribalism will not, in the foreseeable future, be able to overtake our increasingly interdependent world.
This does not mean that the world is going to be Westernized, for many customs and practices from Asia and the Middle East have found their way into Western culture. In any event, nations and people will adopt what they feel is best for their country and most of the planet's populous is not willing to fight and die purely for the sake of an ideology.
References
Samuel P Huntington. "The Clash of Civilizations"
