The End of the West as We Know It?
Germany, the US and the Future of the Transatlantic World
The sixth student-organized German Conference - exploring the fate of the Western world.
In the second half of the twentieth century, the West was the leading
international bloc. With unrivalled economic dominance, enviable
democratic welfare states and military strength, it outlasted – many
say, won – the Cold War and entered into a period of what was expected
to be lasting growth and continuing preeminence.
One decade into the twenty-first century, this prospect seems much more
doubtful. Partly as a result of the emergence of other powers and
partly as a result of internal divisions, the West has lost a
considerable amount of its clout, and appeal.
Germany and the US exemplify this trend. With meager economic growth,
fiscal crises and welfare states considered by many unsustainable, they
have yet to come to terms with a world in which China is the world’s
economic locomotive and largest creditor. In security affairs, too, the
utility of a once proud NATO is called into question by policymakers
and pundits on both sides of the Atlantic, as Germany is downsizing its
military and the US is reorienting itself towards the Asia-Pacific
region.
The last conference explored the following topics in panel discussions and speeches:
- A Coming Global Turn? Or the Resurgence of the West? Perspectives on the West’s Future Position
- A Dismal Future for NATO? Transatlantic Views on Mission and Burdensharing
- Is the West Losing its Edge? Global Imbalances, Economic Governance and Western Competitiveness
- Who Pays the Bill for Demographic Change? The Western Welfare State at a Crossroads
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