In an Era of Upheaval: The Qualities of a Leading Nation
We are not merely facing a crisis; we are navigating an “interregnum”—a period in which the very principles that have sustained humanity have reached the end of their lifespan. The “air” that sustained humanity—the international order and stable employment—has grown thin, and the void left behind has become a “vacuum” filled with the anxiety of every man for himself and the smoke of war. The existing order has not completely vanished; it remains, yet it no longer functions properly, while a new order has yet to take shape.
Globalization is in retreat, geopolitical conflicts have become the norm, and the democratic norms of compromise and restraint are being suffocated by the logic of power. While the role of the state is expanding once again, it is taking a new form centered on industry and security, rather than the welfare state of the past. Artificial intelligence and technology are advancing rapidly, yet the social institutions and norms needed to manage them remain shackled to outdated frameworks.
The problem is not merely a void. While the need to create a new order is clear, existing vested interests and the inertia of existing systems stand in the way. Although nations, corporations, and individuals all feel the need for change, they have yet to develop a common language regarding the criteria for making choices or the direction in which to move. This void is both a crisis and a window of opportunity to break free from the inertia of the past and write new rules.
This Asia Future Forum aims to collectively diagnose this era of suffocating uncertainty. Amid the shards of shattered trust, we seek to jointly sketch out a blueprint for a new social contract that will sustain the lives of the next generation.
