GEOPOLITICAL FUTURE: NEW ACTORS AND GLOBAL INTEGRATION

The events of 9/11 cast the spotlight on the importance of a new player in geopolitics: the non-state actor, who does not have allegiance to any nation state, and is almost impossible to negotiate with. These actors create the rules in which the new geopolitical games are to be played. The Nuclear warheads stockpiled by the great powers suddenly found their deterrent value diminished and their liability value augmented, as the states went on an alert to keep them out of reach of these new actors. Thus, the terrorist non-state actor threat gave the states a jolt never felt before. There is yet another class of the non state actor without any direct threat, but no less powerful and even challenging the role of the state. These groups have seen a proliferating role in geopolitics in the wake of the wave of neoliberalism and the onset of globalization towards the end of the cold war period. These are bodies like the MNC's and the NGO's. In the current scenario, one can see the MNC's influencing and even controlling the states (they have been doing it earlier too, although under powerful states – the case of “Banana Republics”). They have GDP's greater than some of the nation states, and even own sports teams like the states. They have their own "dynamic" citizen base across the world. The top MNC's even have their own Foriegn Policy strategies in view of their growing role in geopolitics. As for the shortage of armies, the governments have always been there to assist.  NGO's have also made their presence felt on a global level, thriving in the onset of globalization. No doubt, these powerful new actors exist now alongside the nation state, having their own role in the geopolitical dynamics.

In the future, another actor may be in the joining, or may have done so long back. This new actor will be unlike any other actor in the current geopolitical system, and this is because it will not be of this system. This actor will be in an entirely different league of its own, since it will originate from beyond the realm of terrestrial space. Since every actor in geopolitics is known by virtue of origin of its power - the state actor from a particular state, and the non-state actor from no particular state (all this in terrestrial space, that is); this new actor can be called as the "Non-Terrestrial Actor". So, what will the terrestrial actors do about the emergence of such an actor? First of all, will these actors meet in the realm of geopolitics or astropolitics (in other words, will we go and find them in outer space or will they find us on earth)? What will be the intention of these non-terrestrials? What will be the possibility of them co-operating or confronting with the terrestrial actors? In which theatre and in what manner will the struggle for survival and supremacy be played out if it is a conflict? What will be the terms of engagement if there is co-operation? Above all, what the future will hold for geopolitics if such a contact happens? There are more questions than answers. Some of these aspects must have already been covered by science fiction products like "Close encounters of the third kind", “Alien”, "E.T", “Contact” or "Independence Day". The possibility of co-operation happening first is highly unlikely, given the realistic world that we live in. But, how possible this scenario is? The possibility of finding intelligent life outside earth may be debatable. But one thing is certain: there is absolutely no way that one can rule out completely the existence of such extra-terrestrials. In fact, scientific communities have been continuously searching for this with the likes of SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) active in the field.

So, the question which now poses itself is this: would the world have to wait for these "Non-Terrestrial Actors" to come, so as to enable true global integration in an effort against such a threat in the form of a collective security system? Are there not enough causes in the terrestrial domain that demand such a global integration or consensus? Yes, but those are of our own creation like Nuclear Weapons and climate change and therefore subject to different perceptions. Therefore, ultimately, it has to be acknowledged that it is only external threats unrelated to us, which will bring out the spirit of fraternity in humans, as evident from human nature from the numerous instances in the history of geopolitics.