Dilemma of the Wes

Dilemma of the West

In his press conference after the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, the American President Jo Biden said, “No President of the United States could keep faith with the American people, if they did not speak out to defend our democratic values, to stand up for the universal rights and fundamental freedoms that all men and women have, in our view”. In this statement, President Biden did not only express the dilemma he is encountering as a President of the United State, but also the challenge which the Western World is experiencing.

This challenge is quite fundamental for the United States as well as the Western World. It dose not just concern with the question, how the West can convince the people in Western Countries and across the World with its politics and strategies or how could keep faith with them, but It relates to the question, if the West is capable to play this leading role in the future.

First of all, it is impotent to point out that there is no alternative to the West to take over this leading roll for the time being. Countries, such as China or Russia are most likely not capable to play this leading role now or in the foreseeable future. No doubt that Russia possesses enormous military and nuclear power, and that China possesses a huge economy, but neither of them possess the universal human values which are accepted across the World, let alone in their societies. Both countries prohibit opposition parties, restricts individual opposition to the state and its claims. Both governments exercise an extremely high degree of control over public and private life.

The capability of the West to lead the World consists exactly in its worldwide accepted values, such as democracy, human rights, freedom, etc. As the West has reached the end-point of mankind's ideological evolution in the words of Francis Fukuyama.

American President Biden was wondering in the same press conference, “How could I be President of the the United States of America and not speak out against the violation of human rights?” This question actually sums up the most important challenge that threatens the leadership of the United States of America and the most difficult test of the values of Western culture. Indeed, the continued US leadership of the world depends on the dealing with this challenge.

Many Americans and others will probably not maintain their belief in the Western values if they do not see Western governments and policies showing loyalty and respect for these values not only in the western countries, but in the rest of the world. Thus, the leadership of the United States would be at stake if the US government did not abide, for example, by promoting human rights, fulfilling commitments, and fighting racism and hatred.

It may be difficult for many to seriously take the Western values and American leadership if they do not see US stand up for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, but also if they again see an African American immigrant like George Floyd is murdered by a police officer during his arrest. Likewise, if the US government reneges on its international commitments such as bringing peace between Israelis and Palestinians based on a two-state solution or if US fails to fulfil its promise to establish a non-sectarian democratic and independent regime in Iraq.

As a result, the West cannot continue to lead the world without clear global standards of leadership. It will not find better standard than Western values, for which a great deal of time, hard effort, and a high price have been given to find.

Dr Kamel Salek
A Syrian writer and lawyer based in London
London 20/06/2021