As Paul Michael Kennedy stated in The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: “The relative strengths of the leading nations in world affairs never remain constant, principally because of the uneven rate of growth among different societies.” This observation rings true today as the global system is shifting from unipolar to multipolar, not through military might but via the emergence of economic blocs such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). While significant transitions in global systems often bring challenges or conflicts, this shift appears to be unfolding smoothly as superpowers and middle powers collaborate. Several factors drive this change: China’s rise as an economic powerhouse, the growing influence of middle powers, efforts to counter U.S. hegemony, and strategies to circumvent sanctions. Though the future trajectory of this economic realignment remains uncertain, many developing nations are already reaping its benefits.

The concept of society has undergone radical transformations, from the Agricultural Revolution to the Industrial Revolution, eventually giving rise to the modern nation-state as defined by the Westphalian model. In their quest for power, nation-states strengthened their economies and militaries, laying the groundwork for global superpowers. Before the World Wars, the global order was multipolar, dominated by several powerful nations. However, the aftermath of these conflicts saw the emergence of two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. The Cold War rivalry between them defined global politics until the Soviet Union’s........

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