The Collapse of Globalization
Globalization promised us a united world, but in the end, it revealed a divided humanity—one that chose greed over grace, silence over solidarity, and self-interest over survival.
Globalization, once heralded as the pinnacle of human progress, promised a world united by shared science, development, and peace. It was a vision of collective advancement, where borders would dissolve not just for trade and capital, but for knowledge, empathy, and mutual respect. Yet, in the last few years, this vision seems to be crumbling under the weight of greed, indifference, and moral failure. What we are witnessing is not just the erosion of globalization, but the collapse of the very ideals that defined it. Let me recount three such instances in the last five years that make me think so:
One of the most glaring examples of this collapse was the COVID-19 vaccine apartheid. When the pandemic struck, the world looked to science for salvation. Vaccines were developed at record speed, a testament to human ingenuity and collaboration. But what followed was a stark reminder of our collective failure. Wealthy nations hoarded vaccines, while poorer countries were left to fend for themselves. By mid-2021, high-income countries had secured enough doses to vaccinate their populations multiple times over, while less than 1% of people in low-income countries had received a single dose. This was not just a failure of logistics; it was a failure of humanity. The promise of shared science was betrayed, and the world was divided into the haves and the have-nots.
If the vaccine apartheid exposed the cracks in globalization, the ongoing war in Gaza has shattered it entirely. The relentless bombardment of Gaza, the indiscriminate killing of civilians—particularly women and children—and the destruction of vital infrastructure have unfolded in broad daylight. According to the United Nations, over 70% of Gaza's civilian infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, leaving millions without access to necessities like water, food, and medical care. Despite calls for ceasefires and accountability from international organizations, the world has largely stood by in silence. The collective conscience of humanity seems to have been numbed by political expediency and apathy. How can we speak of shared development and peace when such atrocities are met with indifference? The Gaza war is not just a regional conflict; it is a stain on our global moral fabric.
And now, as if to add insult to injury, the resurgence of Donald Trump and his brand of politics threatens to undo even the most basic commitments to global cooperation. Climate change, the existential crisis of our time, is being relegated to the sidelines, in 2017 and now again in 2025. Trump’s dismissal of climate science and his rollback of environmental protections are not just policy choices; they are a rejection of our collective responsibility to the planet and future generations. What a chilling message to the world: that the most powerful nation on earth will no longer lead the fight against climate change. When the most pressing threat to humanity is met with denial and inaction, what hope do we have for a united global response?
Where is this world heading? If the last five years are any indication, we are spiralling toward a future defined by division, inequality, and moral bankruptcy. The people of this planet, looking back a hundred years from now, will remember us not for our achievements, but for our failures. They will ask how we could have allowed such inequities to persist, how we could have turned a blind eye to suffering, and how we could have prioritized short-term gains over the survival of our species.
Our standards of ethics and collective conscience are being tested like never before. Globalization was never just about economics; it was about the values we chose to uphold. It was about recognizing that our fates are intertwined and that the well-being of one is tied to the well-being of all. Yet, time and again, we have chosen selfishness over solidarity, indifference over action, and division over unity.
The collapse of globalization is not just a geopolitical shift; it is a moral crisis. It is a betrayal of the ideals we once aspired to. If we are to salvage anything from this wreckage, we must confront the hard truths about our failures and recommit to the principles of shared science, development, and peace. The alternative is a world that future generations will remember with sorrow and disbelief—a world that could have been, but never was.
Dr Abdur Rehman Cheema is a Water Governance & Institutional Specialist at the International Water Management Institute based in Lahore. He can be reached at arehmancheema@gmail.com. LinkedIn ; Web of Science; Google Scholar
Photo by Harshi Rateria
