How Multilateral Powers Can Still Save the World Order

This analytical article argues against the notion that the postwar rules-based international order is irreparably broken, a view recently articulated by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The text highlights recent US military interventions in Venezuela and Iran as significant erosions of international norms, which have fueled pessimism about the global system. However, the author contends that abandoning multilateralism for a transactional, power-based approach would disproportionately harm smaller states and increase global instability. Instead, the piece advocates for reinforcing existing institutions like the United Nations, the IAEA, and the WTO. It emphasizes the critical role of 'multilateral powers'—such as Brazil, Indonesia, Ireland, and Mexico—in defending international law and maintaining diplomatic continuity. The core argument posits that while the current order is imperfect, the cost of dismantling it far exceeds the effort required to strengthen it. Therefore, middle and small powers must collectively uphold these frameworks to constrain arbitrary power and prevent chaos, rather than succumbing to the allure of raw strategic self-interest.