The West has always positioned itself as a beacon of progressivism. An enlightened hemisphere standing for a rules-based global order underpinned by democracy, respect for human rights, and open borders.

These ideological proclamations were given definite shape amid the convulsions of World War II. A plethora of global institutions were conceived, primarily at the behest of the United States, to structure the post-war global order. The most ambitious of these, the United Nations (UN), was created in 1945.

It was hoped that the UN would live up to its founding tenet: preventing another world war. The UN Charter committed it to managing international relations through law, dialogue, and collective action rather than force. The platform was meant to be inclusive. A veritable level playing field where all member states would be equal stakeholders irrespective of their standing in the world.

Many other multilateral institutions soon........

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