From World War I to the present, the global order shaped by the US and Europe has undergone a significant transformation, especially in the post-Cold War era, with the collapse of neocon policies and the rise of Asia. This shift has accelerated the transition to a multipolar world order, leading to the redefinition of military, economic, and geopolitical dimensions in international relations. In this context, Turkey\u2019s strategic position and historical legacy also play a crucial role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
World War I marked a turning point in modern international relations, reshaping global power dynamics. The post-war order sought international cooperation and balance of power following the devastating effects of the war (Demir, 2020). In the second half of the 20th century, the Atlantic Order, led by the United States, emerged as a global system within the framework of mutual deterrence policies with the Soviet Union (Brzezinski, 1997). However, the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the 1990s altered the fundamental parameters of this order. The rise and fall of neoconservative policies paved the way for new strategic orientations (Mearsheimer, 2001; \u00d6zdemir, 2025).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2.1 World War I and Reconstruction<\/p>\n\n\n\n
World War I profoundly altered Europe\u2019s political landscape, leading to the collapse of old empires and the emergence of new state systems. The conflict laid the foundation for future international relations by shaping the power struggles and alliance policies of the 20th century (Aras & Y\u0131lmaz, 2019). Post-war treaties and reconstruction efforts positioned the United States as an emerging economic and military power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2.2 World War II and the Formation of the Atlantic Order<\/p>\n\n\n\n
World War II restructured the global order, with the United States emerging as the leader of the Atlantic Order through its military and economic dominance. The Bretton Woods system and international financial regulations solidified the US dollar as the global reserve currency, establishing a cornerstone of the capitalist world system (Kissinger, 2014; Nye, 2004).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2.3 The Cold War and Bipolar Order<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the Cold War, the ideological and geopolitical rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union structured global politics into a bipolar system. This period was defined by military alliances such as NATO and the Warsaw Pact, reinforcing the importance of balance-of-power strategies in international relations (Ikenberry, 2011).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3.1 The Transformation of the Post-Cold War Era<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990 radically changed the global order. Under a unipolar system, the US pursued neoconservative policies, particularly in the Middle East, through military interventions and NATO expansion, aiming to reshape geopolitical routes (Mearsheimer, 2001; Zakaria, 2008). However, the implementation of these strategies resulted in economic and political costs over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3.2 The Collapse of Neocon Policies and Alternative Approaches<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the late 2000s, neocon policies in the US and Europe began to face increasing scrutiny. Economic crises and unsuccessful military interventions led to a shift towards more pragmatic foreign policy approaches (Walt, 2018; Cook, 2025). This transformation contributed to the decline of the US-led global paradigm and the emergence of new power centers\u2014particularly China and Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4.1 China\u2019s Industrial Rise and Strategic Moves<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The current international system is being reshaped by China\u2019s rapid economic and industrial expansion. China\u2019s dramatic increase in production capacity has surpassed the US\u2019s post-1945 manufacturing dominance. Additionally, strategic initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative have strengthened China\u2019s regional and global influence (Allison, 2017; Kaplan, 2012).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4.2 Russia\u2019s Repositioning<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since 2008, Russia has pursued military modernization and strategic projects such as the Arctic Northern Route to redefine old power balances. Operations in Ukraine and regional security initiatives have reinforced Russia\u2019s role as a key actor in Eurasia (Ersoy, 2018; Bremmer, 2012).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5.1 World War I and Its Aftermath<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Turkey\u2019s geopolitical position was shaped by the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and the challenges of post-World War I reconstruction. The Treaty of Lausanne and the Turkish War of Independence laid the foundation for Turkey\u2019s foreign policy strategies, emphasizing independence and neutrality (Aras & Y\u0131lmaz, 2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5.2 The Cold War and Beyond: Active Neutrality Policy<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the Cold War, Turkey remained under NATO\u2019s security umbrella while maintaining its geopolitical balance. The Montreux Convention and regional strategic initiatives enabled Turkey to develop balanced relations with both Europe and Eurasia (Ersoy, 2018).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The historical trajectory from World War I to the present illustrates the continuous evolution of the global order. The Atlantic Order, shaped by the US and Europe, initially expanded through neocon policies after the Cold War. However, the subsequent rise of Asia and Russia\u2019s strategic maneuvers have challenged the unipolar system, signaling the emergence of a multipolar world order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
References<\/strong> (.) Sefa Y\u00fcr\u00fckel, MA ( Master of Arts) University of Aarhus , 1997. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" From World War I to the present, the global order shaped by the US and Europe has undergone a significant transformation, especially in the post-Cold War era, with the collapse of neocon policies and the rise of Asia. This shift has accelerated the transition to a multipolar world order, leading to the redefinition of military, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4118,"featured_media":179167,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10672],"tags":[1141,830],"class_list":["post-824580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sefa-yurukel","tag-european-identity","tag-new-world-order"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/824580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4118"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=824580"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/824580\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/179167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=824580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=824580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=824580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\u2022 Allison, G. (2017). Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides\u2019s Trap? Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
\u2022 Aras, B., & Y\u0131lmaz, A. (2019). \u201cGeopolitical Transformation and Regional Power Balances in Turkey.\u201d Journal of International Relations, 14(3), 45\u201368.
\u2022 Bremmer, I. (2012). The J Curve: A New Way to Understand Why Nations Rise and Fall. Simon & Schuster.
\u2022 Brzezinski, Z. (1997). The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives. Basic Books.
\u2022 Cook, R. (2025). \u201cThe British Financial Empire: Aiming to Destroy the US.\u201d Retrieved from: https:\/\/hvodinali.wordpress.com\/2025\/03\/14\/british-financial-empire-aims-to-destroy-us\/
\u2022 Cox, M. (2012). Power Shifts, Economic Change and the Decline of the West? International Relations Journal, 26(4), 369\u2013388.
\u2022 Demir, \u00d6. (2020). \u201cThe New World Order: Geopolitical and Economic Perspectives.\u201d Strategic Analysis Journal, 9(2), 105\u2013123.
\u2022 Ersoy, G. (2018). \u201cMultipolar World Order and Turkey\u2019s Strategic Choices.\u201d Ankara University Journal of Political Science, 22(1), 89\u2013112.
\u2022 Fukuyama, F. (1992). The End of History and the Last Man. Free Press.
\u2022 Huntington, S. P. (1996). The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. Simon & Schuster.
\u2022 Ikenberry, G. J. (2011). Liberal Leviathan: The Origins, Crisis, and Transformation of the American World Order. Princeton University Press.
\u2022 Kissinger, H. (2014). World Order. Penguin Press.
\u2022 Mearsheimer, J. J. (2001). The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. W. W. Norton & Company.
\u2022 Nye, J. S. (2004). Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics. Public Affairs.
\u2022 Walt, S. M. (2018). The Hell of Good Intentions: America\u2019s Foreign Policy Elite and the Decline of U.S. Primacy. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
\u2022 Zakaria, F. (2008). The Post-American World. W. W. Norton & Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anthropologists and Ethnographer<\/p>\n\n\n\n