Civilizationalism is a Strategic Political Framework to Dismantle Liberal Universalism
Source: Michael C. Williams. "The Right’s Civilizational New World Order." February 21, 2026. jacobin.com
The Gist
Right-wing politicians in America and Europe are promoting the idea that the world should be organized around different 'civilizations' led by powerful countries, rather than universal human rights and international law. This isn't because they genuinely believe in these civilizations, but because it's a useful political tool to gain power and remake the global system to benefit them.
Conclusion
Civilizationalism is not an organic expression of existing civilizations, but rather a deliberate political strategy used by the radical right on both sides of the Atlantic to dismantle universalism and remake the international order around culture, power, and hierarchy
Premises
- The 2025 US National Security Strategy explicitly adopts a civilizational worldview that rejects liberal universalism in favor of culturally bounded civilizations led by great powers
- Civilizationalism serves domestic political purposes by providing ideological form to exclusive national identity claims and reshaping foreign policy debates beyond the traditional internationalism vs. isolationism framework
- The framework enables novel diplomatic strategies that bypass traditional sovereign noninterference norms, including direct support for ideologically aligned civil society actors and political parties
- European radical right parties use civilizational appeals to reconcile nationalism with Europeanness while excluding civilizational 'others,' particularly Islam
- Right-wing movements coordinate transnationally, with European parties seeking legitimation from American civilizationalist rhetoric and vice versa
- Traditional liberal responses based on universalism are weakened by criticism from both the right and left/Global South critics who associate universalism with Western imperialism
Assumptions
- Political movements can successfully manufacture and promote civilizational identities for strategic purposes
- Transnational coordination between right-wing movements is effective in advancing shared political goals
- The liberal international order's universalist foundations are vulnerable to civilizationalist challenges
- Cultural and civilizational appeals are more politically potent than traditional ideological frameworks