Evolution of a Second Generation Global Civilization and Kyosei

第二世代グローバル文明の形成と共生

Abstract

The first global civilization has been characterized by the dominance of Pax Britanica to be followed by Pax Americana for the past 200 years. Based on the philosophical underpinning of individualism, such factors and values as market economy, democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law in the broad framework of the nation-states system have been globalized with, however, increasing sense of uncomfortableness with this trend in various parts of the world. With the decline of the influence of the United States and with the emergence of alternative values based on perspectives beyond individualism, a new global civilization seems to be in the offing. It should be essential for the intellectual community to come to grips with this phenomenon up-front at this historic moment in time. The objective of this paper is to present a rough sketch of the issues involved in analyzing this challenge. The first set of issues are related to the problems that tend to arise in the context of civilizational change. The second set of issues are related to the substance of the new civilization. At the end of the paper a series of general observations will be presented.