Cultural Ascendancy in the Next Century: Research Paper

Ascendancy in the Next Century

In the aftermath of the Second World War, America emerged as the sole superpower following the fall of the Soviet Union. However, the 21^st century is witnessing fundamental changes that continue to threaten the global world order created by the United States. However, fundamental changes in this century are emerging both as unfolding opportunities and unpredictable discontinuities that make it difficult to determine the nation that will topple the U.S from its sole superpower status. Russia is seen as the most likely candidate to assume global superpower status in the next hundred years. Its relentless pursuit of innovation, vast energy resources, and a decline in American military and economic power may, following the rise of China, provide the impetus needed for Russia to ascend to global dominance in the next century.

Russia may ascend to global supremacy in the next one hundred years because of its dedication to research and innovation. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Russia began creating a pool of highly creative and dedicated engineers and scientists (Smil, 2005). Russian engineers and scientists did not stop working on new inventions and innovations. They have partnered with the United States and pioneered lasers and masers, have been instrumental in advancing military technology as evidenced by stealth planes and made massive inroads in medical technology seen in unorthodox surgical methods such as deformities, deficiencies, as well as fractures (Smil, 2005).

Apart from relentless research and innovation by Russian scientists and engineers, vast energy resources are also likely to boost Russia’s ascendancy to the unfolding new world order summit. Currently, the country has the second-largest reserve of coal and the capability to generate hydroelectricity. Moreover, it has the seventh-largest reserve of oil and the largest reserve of natural gas. Since natural gas is likely to replace crude oil in the next century, this opportunity will propel Russia to global economic prominence in the next century (Smil, 2005). Currently, the country is pumping its natural gas using the longest and largest pipelines in the world that run from Western Siberia to Germany and Italy, which creates a platform for Russia to become the largest supplier of natural gas in the future.

Finally, the rise of China in the 21st century is continuously dwarfing America’s sole superpower status. Russia is making inroads across continents, especially in Africa, where it seeks economic and military alliances with African nations. As a result, its growing pre-eminence across the world may dwarf America’s position at the world’s helm and allow Russia to overtake America as the new global superpower in the next century.

References

Smil, V. (2005). The next 50 years: Unfolding trends. Population and Development

Review, Vol. 31(4), p. 605-643.