Briefing Doc: Main Themes in Samuel P. Huntington's The Clash of Civilizations (1993)

The Clash of Civilizations (1993) 

 Introduction:

This briefing document reviews key themes from Samuel P. Huntington's influential and controversial 1993 essay, "The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order". The essay argues that in the post-Cold War world, cultural and religious identities, primarily civilizations, will be the main source of conflict.

Main Themes:

1. The Decline of the West and the Rise of Other Civilizations:

• Huntington asserts that the West's relative power is declining in the face of the rise of other civilizations, particularly those in Asia. He cites shrinking Western territorial control, military personnel, and manufacturing output shares as evidence.
• However, he acknowledges the West's continued dominance in economic and military spheres, particularly the United States' unique ability to intervene militarily almost anywhere in the world.

1. "In the 1920s the West was far ahead of everyone else in all these dimensions. In the years since, the military power of the West has declined relative to that of other civilizations..."
2. "Nonetheless, well into [the 21st] century, the West, meaning primarily the United States with some supplements from Britain and France, will alone be able to intervene militarily in almost any part of the world."
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4. Civilizations as the Defining Feature of the Post-Cold War World:

• Huntington argues that civilizations are the broadest level of cultural identity, surpassing national, ethnic, or religious groups. He defines civilizations based on shared objective elements like language, history, and institutions, and subjective elements like self-identification.
• He identifies several major civilizations: Western, Confucian, Japanese, Islamic, Hindu, Slavic-Orthodox, Latin American, and possibly African.
• He contends that differences between civilizations are fundamental and more enduring than ideological or political differences, making conflict more likely.

1. "A civilization is thus the highest cultural grouping of people and the broadest level of cultural identity people have short of that which distinguishes humans from other species."
2. Fault Line Conflicts and Kin-Country Rallying:
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• Huntington predicts that conflicts in the post-Cold War world will occur predominantly along the fault lines between civilizations, often involving cultural and demographic factors like the "youth bulge" in Islamic countries.
• He highlights the tendency for states to rally around their "kin countries," supporting members of their own civilization in conflicts with other civilizations.
• The Bosnian War serves as a key example, demonstrating both the violence of fault line conflicts and the tendency for external actors to intervene along civilizational lines.

1. "Fault line wars share some but not all of the characteristics of communal wars generally. They are protracted conflicts... Involving fundamental issues of group identity and power, they are difficult to resolve through negotiations and compromise."
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3. The West's Universalist Pretensions and the Need for Coexistence:

• Huntington criticizes the West's belief in the universality of its values and its attempts to impose them on other civilizations, arguing that this fuels resentment and conflict.
• He advocates for a more nuanced approach based on recognizing the legitimacy of different civilizations and seeking common ground while acknowledging differences.
• He argues that while cultures are relative, morality can be absolute, pointing to shared "minimal moral concepts" like truth and justice.

1. "Does the vacuousness of Western universalism and the reality of global cultural diversity lead inevitably and irrevocably to moral and cultural relativism? If universalism legitimates imperialism, does relativism legitimate repression? Once again, the answer to these questions is yes and no."
2. "In a multicivilizational world, the constructive course is to renounce universalism, accept diversity, and seek commonalities."
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4. Torn Countries:

• Huntington identifies "torn countries" like Russia, Turkey, and Mexico, which straddle civilizational divides and face internal conflict over their identity and alignment. These countries are often pressured by different civilizations to join their ranks.
• He suggests that these countries can either attempt to join another civilization, a difficult and often unsuccessful process, or embrace their unique position between civilizations.

1. "The usefulness of differentiating among countries in terms of civilization is manifest with respect to the Baltic republics. They are the only former Soviet republics which are clearly Western in terms of their history, culture, and religion, and their fate has consistently been a major concern of the West."

Excerpts from "The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order" by Samuel P. Huntington

I. Introduction: Civilizations in the Post-Cold War World

• Defining Civilizations: This section defines civilizations as the broadest level of cultural identity, encompassing shared objective elements like language, religion, and institutions, as well as subjective self-identification. It highlights the fluid nature of civilizational boundaries and the multiplicity of identities individuals possess.
• The Resurgence of Civilization-Consciousness: This section discusses the growing awareness of civilizational identity in the post-Cold War world. It attributes this phenomenon to factors like the decline of ideological division, economic modernization in non-Western societies, the West's dual role as a dominant power and a target of resentment, and the role of the West in defining non-Western identities through opposition.

II. The West and the Rest: Torn Countries and Fault Lines

• Torn Countries: This section examines countries like Russia, Turkey, and Mexico, whose cultural identities straddle the divide between Western and non-Western civilizations. It explores the internal struggles and policy debates these countries face in navigating their complex identities.
• Fault Line Conflicts: This section delves into the nature of fault line conflicts, which arise from cultural and religious differences along the borders of civilizations. It highlights their protracted nature, difficulty in resolution, and potential for escalating into broader conflicts. Examples discussed include the conflicts in Bosnia, Chechnya, and Kashmir.

III. The Challenges to the West: Economic and Demographic Shifts

• The Economic Challenge from Asia: This section analyzes the growing economic power of Asian civilizations, particularly China and Japan. It examines the implications of their rise for the West's economic dominance and the potential for economic competition or cooperation.
• The Demographic Challenge from Islam: This section focuses on the demographic boom in Islamic civilizations and its potential consequences. It discusses the implications for political stability, migration patterns, and the balance of power between the West and the Islamic world.

IV. The Confucian-Islamic Connection: Balancing the West

• Common Interests against the West: This section explores the potential for cooperation between Confucian and Islamic civilizations based on their shared opposition to the West. It discusses commonalities in their perspectives on issues like human rights, arms control, and the West's global dominance.
• Weapons Proliferation and the Shifting Military Balance: This section analyzes the diffusion of military capabilities to non-Western civilizations and its implications for international security. It discusses the role of arms transfers, indigenous arms production, and the acquisition of nuclear weapons in shifting the military balance.

V. The Future of Civilizations: Toward a Multicivilizational World

• The Limits of Western Universalism: This section critiques the West's belief in the universality of its values and institutions. It argues that cultural diversity is a reality that necessitates a move beyond Western universalism toward a recognition of civilizational differences.
• Coexistence and the Search for Commonalities: This section proposes a framework for coexistence in a multicivilizational world. It emphasizes the importance of renouncing universalism, accepting diversity, and seeking common ground between civilizations. It argues for a "thin" minimalist morality based on shared human values.

VI. Conclusion: Managing the Clash of Civilizations

• The Dangers of Escalation: This section outlines potential scenarios for conflict escalation, particularly involving fault line wars and the intervention of core states. It highlights the risks of miscalculation, misperception, and the failure to manage cultural differences.
• Toward a New Balance of Power: This section discusses the need for a new balance of power based on mutual respect and understanding between civilizations. It emphasizes the role of dialogue, accommodation, and the recognition of civilizational spheres of influence in mitigating conflict.

Glossary of Key Terms

• Civilization: The highest cultural grouping of people, defined by common objective elements like language, history, religion, and institutions, as well as subjective self-identification.
• International System: Exists when states have sufficient contact and impact on one another's decisions to behave as parts of a whole.
• International Society: Requires states to have shared interests, values, rules, institutions, and culture, beyond mere interaction.
• Torn Countries: States experiencing a clash of civilizations internally, torn between aligning with different cultural groups.
• Modernization: The process of social, economic, and political transformation often associated with Westernization, but not necessarily leading to it.
• Kin-Country Rallying: The tendency of states to support countries sharing their civilizational identity during conflicts, potentially escalating local disputes.
• Fault Line War: A conflict occurring on the border between two civilizations, often characterized by intractable cultural and historical grievances.
• Universal Civilization: The concept that despite cultural differences, humanity shares fundamental values and aspirations, promoting global unity.
• Westernization: The adoption of Western values, institutions, and practices, often seen as synonymous with modernization.
• Clash of Civilizations: Huntington's central thesis that cultural and religious differences will be the primary source of conflict in the post-Cold War world.

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What is a 'civilization' according to Samuel Huntington?

Huntington posits that a civilization is the most encompassing level of cultural identity humans experience, beyond affiliations like village, region, ethnicity, nationality, or religion. It's essentially the largest cultural grouping one identifies with, feeling a sense of belonging within it and distinguishing themselves from those outside of it. This "highest cultural grouping" is determined by shared objective elements like language, history, religion, customs, and institutions, and by the subjective self-identification of its people. However, the boundaries and composition of civilizations are dynamic and can shift as people redefine their identities.

What is the 'West vs. the Rest' dynamic and how is it evolving?

Huntington describes a global dynamic where the West, at the pinnacle of its power, faces a non-Western world increasingly driven to shape the world according to their own values and rejecting Western dominance. This 'return to the roots' phenomenon manifests as Asianization in Japan, Hinduization in India, re-Islamization in the Middle East, and the debate between Westernization and Russianization in Russia. This dynamic sets the stage for a clash of civilizations as the West grapples to preserve its dominance against a rising non-West.

What is 'torn country' syndrome?

Huntington uses the term "torn countries" to describe those nations divided over their civilizational identity. Often geographically positioned on a "fault line" between two civilizations, these countries experience internal tension as they grapple with which civilization they belong to. Turkey, for example, is torn between its secular Western orientation and its Islamic heritage, while Mexico grapples with its indigenous past and its desire to align with North America. Torn countries often face instability and may even become battlegrounds for larger civilizational conflicts.

What role does religion play in shaping civilizational identity and conflict?

Huntington argues that religion is a fundamental component of civilizational identity. While civilizations encompass various cultural aspects, religion provides a core set of values, beliefs, and traditions that bind people together. However, this unifying force can also become a source of conflict. When civilizational identities are defined by religion, differences are amplified, often leading to intractable disputes. Huntington points to the historical animosity between Islam and the West as a prime example of religion fueling civilizational clashes.

What is the 'Confucian-Islamic connection,' and what are its implications?

The "Confucian-Islamic connection" refers to the strategic alliance between certain Sinic (primarily China) and Islamic countries, driven by their shared opposition to the West. Despite their inherent cultural and ideological differences, these nations find common ground in their pursuit of military power to counter Western hegemony. This connection manifests in areas like arms trade, particularly weapons of mass destruction and missile technology. The implications of this connection are significant as it represents a potential counterweight to Western military dominance and could escalate fault line wars into larger civilizational conflicts.

What are 'fault line' wars, and how are they distinct from other conflicts?

Huntington uses "fault line wars" to describe conflicts arising from the cultural and civilizational differences between groups, particularly those residing along the borders of distinct civilizations. Unlike traditional interstate wars, fault line wars are often fueled by deep-seated historical grievances, religious differences, and competition for resources, making them particularly protracted and violent. The conflict in Bosnia, for example, exemplifies a fault line war where Serbian Orthodox, Croatian Catholic, and Bosnian Muslim populations clashed over territory and identity.

Why does Huntington believe 'kin-country rallying' is a significant factor in fault line wars?

Huntington argues that "kin-country rallying," where states sharing civilizational ties intervene in support of their kin groups in another country, is a defining characteristic of fault line wars. Driven by shared cultural and religious bonds, core states often feel obligated to support their civilizational brethren, escalating local conflicts into broader civilizational confrontations. This phenomenon is evident in the Yugoslav wars, where Russia backed Serbia, Germany supported Croatia, and Islamic nations aided Bosnian Muslims, illustrating how kin-country rallying internationalizes fault line conflicts.

Is the West destined for inevitable decline?

While Huntington emphasizes the West's waning global influence, he doesn't present it as an inevitable decline. He suggests that the West has the potential for renewal, contingent upon several factors. First, the West needs to recognize and reaffirm its shared cultural core, celebrating its unique history, values, and institutions. Second, it needs to recognize the limits of its power and universalist aspirations, acknowledging and respecting the legitimacy of other civilizations. Finally, the West should focus on cooperating with like-minded nations and manage its relations with other civilizations to minimize the risk of large-scale conflict. However, he warns that failure to adapt to the changing global landscape could lead to further decline and potentially catastrophic clashes.

Here are some related facts and ideas from the source material that expand on the original passage, focusing on potential conflicts between the West and Sinic (Chinese) civilizations:

• The "Confucian-Islamic Connection" as a Counterweight to the West: Huntington argues that despite their cultural differences, Sinic and Islamic civilizations might find common ground in their opposition to the West, leading to a strategic alliance. He points to cooperation in arms trading, particularly weapons of mass destruction and missile technology, as evidence of this potential counterweight to Western military dominance.

  "In some areas this has happened. A general anti-Western coalition, however, seems unlikely in the immediate future... Yet in politics, a common enemy creates a common interest... By the early 1990s a "Confucian-Islamic connection" was in place between China and North Korea, on the one hand, and in varying degrees Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Algeria, on the other, to confront the West on these issues." (Excerpt from "1993SamuelPHuntingtonTheClashOfCivilizationsAndTheRemakingofWorldOrder.pdf," Chapter 8)

• The Rise of China and Its Implications for International Stability: Huntington identifies the rise of China as a major challenge to the existing world order. He argues that China's growing economic and military power, coupled with its distinct cultural values, could lead to conflict with the West, particularly over issues like human rights, Taiwan, and regional hegemony.

  "The emergence of China as a major economic power and the asserting civilizational consciousness of its leaders and peoples will have a far greater impact on the West and on international stability than will the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe." (Excerpt from "1993SamuelPHuntingtonTheClashOfCivilizationsAndTheRemakingofWorldOrder.pdf," Chapter 9)

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• The Need for the West to Adapt to a Multipolar World: Huntington argues that the West must recognize the limits of its power and abandon its universalist pretensions. Instead, he advocates for a more nuanced approach to international relations, one based on understanding and respecting the legitimacy of different civilizations, particularly rising powers like China.

  "In the longer term other measures would be called for. Western civilization is both Western and modern... Non-Western civilizations will continue to attempt to acquire the wealth, technology, skills, machines and weapons that are part of being modern. They will also attempt to reconcile this modernity with their traditional culture and values... Hence the West will increasingly have to accommodate these non-Western modern civilizations whose power approaches that of the West but whose values and interests differ significantly from those of the West." (Excerpt from "1993SamuelPHuntingtonTheClashOfCivilizationsAndTheRemakingofWorldOrder.pdf," Chapter 13)

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