The Voice News International DeskWashington, D.C., June 16, 2025 — The growing chorus for a “multipolar world” — echoed by leaders from China to Brazil — masks a deeper, older truth: what’s emerging is not true multipolarity, but a reversion to ideological bipolarity, according to Michael Miklaucic, a senior fellow recently retired from the National Defense University.Despite the loud calls for a new international order built on “diversity and dialogue,” the reality, Miklaucic argues, is more stark — a world increasingly split between two opposing philosophies of governance: egalitarian democracy versus authoritarian rule.“Multipolarity is the buzzword of the moment,” Miklaucic states, “but those promoting it — from Xi Jinping to Vladimir Putin — are either disingenuous or delusional. What we’re seeing is not a diffusion of global power centers but a concentration of ideological rivalry.”The Global South’s Hope — And IllusionFor countries in the Global South, the multipolar narrative is appealing. Long disillusioned by centuries of Western hegemony and an unequal liberal international order, many nations seek to leverage rising powers to extract better trade, security, and development deals. With multiple poles to choose from, these states hope to enhance their strategic options.However, Miklaucic warns that this hope may be misplaced. “The Global South wants to hedge, but it may end up squeezed between two poles that care little for its interests.”Russia and China: Strategic, Not AltruisticFor Russia, multipolarity is a nostalgic weapon — a means to regain its lost Soviet-era clout and enforce regional spheres of influence. Putin’s vision translates to reduced U.S. power and unchallenged dominance over his neighbors.China’s narrative is even more ambitious. While Xi Jinping claims multipolarity will usher in stability and justice, Miklaucic calls this “disingenuous.” Instead, Xi’s “Chinese-characteristics” vision aims to create a world order centered around Beijing’s development and civilization doctrines.“This multipolar dream,” Miklaucic says, “is a smokescreen for China’s bid to replace the West — particularly the United States — as the global hegemon.”BRICS and the Myth of a New PoleMany analysts and leaders hope the expanded BRICS grouping will serve as a true counterweight to the West, uniting developing countries in a post-colonial alternative. But the BRICS bloc remains riddled with contradictions and rivalries — and, more crucially, dominated by China’s economic muscle.“What China wants from the BRICS, China gets,” Miklaucic notes. “The notion that Beijing or Moscow will champion the Global South out of generosity is absurd. These are authoritarian regimes ruled by hardened realists.”A Return to Ideological BipolarityRather than multipolar fragmentation, Miklaucic sees a clearer pattern: a return to civilizational bipolarity between two worldviews — democracy and authoritarianism. Unlike the Cold War’s geographic blocs, this divide is more ideological, cutting across borders and even within states.One pole is anchored in the democratic ideal of governance by and for the people. The other revives the ancient belief that the strong and wise should rule on behalf of all — the essence of authoritarianism.“China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea now gravitate toward this authoritarian center,” Miklaucic explains. “Meanwhile, the pulse of democratic governance beats loudest in Europe — especially in its northern regions.”And even the United States, long the self-proclaimed beacon of democracy, is not immune. “Trump is testing America’s tolerance for authoritarian rule,” Miklaucic notes, describing it as an “uncomfortable truth” that challenges America’s image as the leader of the free world.The Battle of Our TimeThe emerging global order is not one of multipolar balance but of existential choice. The world is confronting what Miklaucic describes as “an ancient and mortal combat” between egalitarian liberty and hierarchical control.“The choices nations make between these two poles will determine whether the Enlightenment era continues or we descend into a new dark age,” he warns.In a world dominated by slogans of multipolarity, the underlying struggle is not about the number of global power centers — it’s about the values that will shape the future.
