How the next 20 years will mark further moves away from the late-20th century liberal consensus.
Shifting Votes and People
The changing demographics of the world’s population, combined with new electoral trends are having a profound impact on politics. In many countries, there is an increasing demand for greater representation from minority groups. This has led to many views that were previously marginal gaining much more mainstream support.
This has led to shifts in voting patterns and the emergence of new political parties that reflect these changes. For example, in India the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a landslide victory in 2019 due to its appeal among rural voters and its focus on Hindu nationalism.
celebrating their landslide victory in 2019″)
Similarly, in France Emmanuel Macron’s centrist “En Marche!” party was able to win power by appealing to both traditional conservatives and younger progressives who wanted change.
At the same time, party affiliations are shifting in unexpected ways due to demographic shifts. In the United States, minority and working class groups traditionally associated with the Democratic party base have been increasingly aligning with the GOP.
And in France, the long-standing moderate right wing party Les Republicains has fragmented, leading to a rise in far-right political voices– a shift toward radicalization that has been seen across the Western world in recent years. These examples demonstrate how demographic shifts can lead to dramatic changes in electoral outcomes and create new opportunities for political engagement.
Climate Change Consensus Grows
The past two decades have seen increased consensus around climate change and environmental health. Governments, businesses, and individuals have all taken steps to reduce their carbon footprints and protect natural resources as the economic and social cost of climate change has come into focus.
The Paris Agreement of 2015 saw 195 countries commit to reducing emissions and limiting global temperature rise. In 2019, the European Union declared a ‘climate emergency’, committing to becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
Companies such as Microsoft have pledged to become carbon negative by 2030 while cities like London are introducing measures such as congestion charges for cars entering city centers.
Individuals are also taking action with more people choosing renewable energy sources for their homes or opting for electric vehicles over petrol-powered ones. These efforts demonstrate how collective action can be taken on an unprecedented scale in order to tackle climate change and ensure environmental sustainability into the future.
Public Health Risks of Industrialization
In the past two decades, there has been an increased scientific and social consensus regarding public health and the dangers of unregulated industrialization. Examples include oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, toxic chemical spills in China’s Yangtze River, and e-coli outbreaks in mass produced food products.
This growing awareness has led to greater regulation of industry by governments around the world, with new laws being introduced to protect workers’ rights and ensure safe working conditions.
Companies are also taking steps to reduce their environmental impact through initiatives such as reducing emissions or investing in renewable energy sources. Consumers have become more aware of where their food comes from and how it is produced, leading to a shift towards organic produce or locally sourced ingredients.
These changes demonstrate how increased knowledge about public health can lead to positive action that benefits both individuals and society as a whole.
Social Issues and Government Action
In recent decades, there has been an increased fragmentation over the gravity of social issues such as economic justice, race, gender and criminal justice – and whether and how governments should address them.
This is evidenced by a rise in public discourse around these topics, with protests taking place across the world to demand greater action from governments on issues like racial inequality or climate change. Governments have responded to this pressure by introducing new laws and policies aimed at tackling these problems.
For example, France recently passed legislation banning employers from discriminating against employees based on their ethnicity or religion; while India has implemented affirmative action programmes designed to improve access to education for marginalized communities.
Political Divide on Progressivism
The emergence of rival political movements both supporting and opposing progressive policies to address inequality has been a defining feature of the past two decades. On one side, there are those who advocate for greater government intervention in order to reduce economic disparities and promote social justice.
This includes initiatives such as affirmative action programmes, minimum wage laws, and increased taxation on the wealthy. On the other side, there are those who oppose these measures due to their perceived negative impact on economic growth or individual freedom.
Competing ideologies such as these have shaped public discourse around issues such as climate change and gender equality, leading governments around the world to introduce new laws and policies aimed at tackling these problems.
Global Power Dynamics Shift
The increased influence of international organizations, driven by both nation states and hyper-rich donors, has had a profound impact on global politics in the past two decades. These organizations have been able to shape agendas and policies through their financial resources and political clout.
For example, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has invested billions of dollars into health initiatives around the world, while the United Nations is working to promote peace and security through its various agencies such as UNICEF and UNHCR.
International trade agreements such as NAFTA have enabled countries to open up their markets to foreign investment while also protecting workers’ rights. Meanwhile, multinational corporations are increasingly using their economic power to influence governments in order to gain access to new markets or reduce regulations that could affect profits.
This trend towards greater international cooperation has led some commentators to suggest that we are entering an era of ‘global governance’, where decisions made at an international level will become more important than those taken by individual nations.
