Dr. Chandra Muzaffar, Malaysia’s foremost public intellectual and a tireless advocate for global justice, has long been at the forefront of discussions on geopolitics, human rights, and civilizational dialogue. As the founder and president of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST), his work has consistently challenged hegemonic power structures while advocating for a more equitable international order.
In this exclusive interview, Dr. Muzaffar shares his insights on the pressing geopolitical shifts of our time—ranging from the resurgence of right-wing politics to the evolving architecture of global governance.
With a deep familiarity developed over more than a decade of engagement with Dr. Muzaffar, Mujeeb Rahman Kinalur presents a conversation that goes beyond surface-level observations, providing a nuanced and thought-provoking exploration of contemporary global challenges.
The Trump Presidency: A New Era of Global Politics
As Donald Trump begins his second term as President of the United States, what message do you think this sends to the world? How will his presidency shape global politics, and what implications can we expect for international relations?
▪️It is too early to assess the impact of Trump’s presidency upon global politics. At the moment there is a great deal of apprehension about some of his policy stances. The reaction to his oft-repeated intention to take over Gaza and transfer the Palestinian population to other states is a vivid example. He also appears to be eyeing other territories too such as Greenland in Denmark and Canada.
The Rise of Superpower States
Do you believe that superpower states around the world will follow in the footsteps of the United States, adopting similar policies and strategies to assert their dominance on the global stage?
▪️Certain aspects of Trump’s proposed policy changes are already being implemented by others. His tightening of immigration policies are not very different from what some European states are doing even now. But the ‘superpower states’ ( if by this you mean Russia and China ) are not likely to seek the annexation of other countries for that would be a shameful act of colonial supremacy. I do not think that either Russia or China or other countries would follow Trump’s example and announce that they would like to take over other sovereign nations or territories.
The Emergence of Right-Wing Politics: A Global Phenomenon
What, in your opinion, are the major factors contributing to the rise of right-wing politics globally? How do you think this trend will impact international relations, and what consequences can we expect for marginalized communities?
▪️We must acknowledge that most economies in the world today are capitalist in their content and structure. This has given rise to right-wing politics everywhere. In this regard, US dominance of the global economy has reinforced not only right-wing politics on an international scale but also a capitalist culture that emphasizes consumption and acquisition.
Racially Motivated Hegemony
How should we reflect on the racially motivated right-wing hegemony over powerless countries? What strategies can be employed to counter this phenomenon, and what role can international organizations play in promoting global justice?
▪️While the US is the dominant hegemonic power in the world at the moment, we must remember that like the US other states that are hegemonically oriented are also ” racially mixed.” Israel for instance, which is joined at the hip to the US, has not only Ashkenazi ( or European) Jews at the helm but also non-White Jews. Britain which is another close ally of the US and Israel is also racially mixed. This would also be true of France and Germany which are also part of the hegemonic West. Indeed, if we look at the actual structure of global power, non-White Japan would also be integral to it. In other words, the hegemonic power structure that confronts us is no longer a simplistic White elite. If we also take into consideration the elites in so many countries in the Global South who are intimately linked to Western elites, the hegemonic-non-hegemonic landscape becomes much more complex. It is this complexity that we should focus upon as we struggle to overcome hegemony which in the ultimate analysis transcends colour, ethnicity, nationality, culture and religion.
Trump’s Aggressive Actions
How do you observe Trump’s aggressive actions towards ‘illegal migrants,’ including Indians recently? What implications do these actions have for human rights, and how can we work towards creating a more just and equitable world?
▪️Taking a tough position on the flow of migrants was one of those issues that brought Trump a lot of support in the recent US presidential election. Migrants sometimes affect employment opportunities for the local population. Some of them fail to adjust to the domestic culture. At the same time, no one can deny that migrants have also enriched the domestic economy and enhanced productivity. Whatever their impact, they should be treated humanely, even if they are illegal. That is what is expected of all of us because we, like them, are human beings. This is why when migrants are treated badly we should speak up for them.
A Coalition Against Imperial Forces
Do you expect any coalition to emerge from suppressed countries against the right-wing forces driving imperial power? What form might such a coalition take, and what strategies could be employed to challenge dominant power structures?
▪️If we reflect upon the nature of protests against imperial power or hegemonic forces that dominate the planet it appears as if they are reactive, issue-oriented and time-bound. This was what happened with the mass protests against the US-British-led war against Iraq in 2003. The protests fizzled out after a while, after a month or so, though initially there was a great deal of passion and anger driving the protests. Why protests like Iraq are not sustained over the long term is a complex issue related to the issue itself, to changing patterns of power, the overwhelming influence of global capitalism and its arteries of articulation, the role of the media and so on. Perhaps other issues in the near future will also meet the same fate. Some have argued that it is only when the crisis of global capitalism and the accompanying crisis of consumption becomes unbearably severe that the anti-hegemonic forces will succeed in forging a sustainable global movement that can take on the present unjust system.
The Future of the World: A Promising Horizon?
How do you envision the future of the world? Do you believe that a promising, just, and full leadership will emerge to replace the current power balance? What role can civil society movements play in shaping this future?
▪️Justice will triumph at the end of the day. This is what history teaches us. Look at the struggle against slavery. Even if we reflect upon colonialism, the phenomenon in its formal expression was defeated by the nineteen sixties. What remains are some of the other manifestations of colonialism including its economic or technological or communication dimensions. But even these are being challenged.
Based upon recent experience, I see the challenge to US-led hegemony emanating from three sources. One, a number of nation-states at the helm of which is China. It is the rise of China— more than any other single factor — that has brought to the fore the whole question of US-led hegemony. Two, a segment of the media especially the new media such as citizen journalism is bound to play a significant role in articulating an alternative to the present hegemonic global system. Three, civil society groups particularly those that are cause-oriented, such as environmental groups or those that are committed to human rights or opponents of war or proponents of peace are destined to help shape the future.
More than these agents of change, it is perhaps the decline, decay and destruction of the hegemonic forces themselves through their own misdeeds that will bring about a new world order. The US’s involvement in perpetual wars that seek to establish its hegemony is a major reason for its erosion of credibility abroad and its inability to resolve myriad problems at home. Similarly, it is Israel’s arrogant flaunting of its aerial power that climaxed in a cruel, wanton genocide against a largely refugee population in Gaza that has crushed its reputation globally and eternally.
Civil Society Movements: A Force for Change
Finally, what role do you think civil society movements will play in the current world order? How can these movements work together to promote global justice, human rights, and a more equitable world?
▪️When we talk of civil society’s critical role in liberating humankind from hegemony we are highlighting people’s power in the momentous change that lies ahead. Indeed, it is people’s power that has pushed the suffering and sorrow of the Palestinian people to the top of the global agenda in the last 17 months. It is because millions of people everywhere now know the real story of Palestinian slaughter, expulsion and oppression at the hands of Israel and the US that one of the greatest injustices of all times stretching for more than a 100 years is now exposed in all its brutal, barbaric ugliness.
Yes, Palestine and its 17,000 children killed by Israeli, US and other Western bombs and bullets and through a deliberate policy of starvation will prove to the world that if JUSTICE is finally secured it is because their innocent blood and tears have forever given life and hope to the land and its people.
[Photo by World Public Forum Dialogue of Civilizations, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons]
Mujeeb Rahman kinalur is an author and journalist based in Kerala, India.
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