The World Population Reaches 8 Billion

 

The world population has reached 8 billion. The development is significant for a number of reasons. The balance of geopolitical power, economics, and the environment will be effected. The average life expectancy at some stage will increase globally. That requires policies and programs needed for eldercare. The demand for certain natural resources and  their use might not be accommodated. Employing 8 billion people of the globe would be no simple task. Economic instability would make particular nations more prone to large upheaval . The children and young people are going to need high quality education to be part of the knowledge based economy. Housing, education, and employment are the basic necessities every nation state should have. The world population  shift indicates a concern about women's rights. Women around the world do not have equal access to contraception. Reproductive rights are being undermined across various nations. The conflict between nations for fossil fuels, clean water, and food has the potential to escalate. The most populous countries include India, China, Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria,  the United States of America, and Russia. The tension between the Russia-China block and the US create a general sense fear. Mass global conflict could be ignited by the major world powers. Large standing armies can be a threat to international peace. Unless serious efforts are made to address social, political, and economic problems a large world population becomes a risk. The United Nations claims the nations that will see growth up to 2050 will be the Philippines, Egypt, Congo, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Nigeria. The world population might be larger. The homeless, the incarcerated, and the uncontacted tribes might not be fully accounted for in the UN population data.  

Nancy Pelosi Intends To Visit Taiwan

 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has implied that she will visit Taiwan. This resulted in condemnation from China. The sudden desire to visit indicates a decline in US-China relations. The one China policy acknowledges that the island is a part of the PRC. Doing this visit suggests that America is making preparations for recognizing Taiwan as an independent nation. China's fear is that the island along with South Korea, and Japan could be used a launching sites for military action. The possible visit could have dire consequences. China could in response arm North Korea as a means countering American expansion into Asia. The United States has continued to provide arms to Taiwan despite objections to Beijing. The move is not one of skilled diplomacy. If Taiwan is to be discussed, a visit to Beijing would need to occur first. Risking a large East Asia war could spread to other regions. The speculation is that these actions are the culmination of the pivot to Asia. China must be undermined so that the US can continue to be the sole superpower in the world. The approach to Asian affairs has become reckless over the past three presidential administrations. Instead of creating an atmosphere of trust  and understanding a sentiment of hostility is predominant. 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Wants The Olympics To Be An Instrument of Peace

 

UN Secretary-General expressed " the Olympic Games must be an instrument for peace in the world." International sports competition is an extension  of rivalries among nations. Also the Olympic Games have been used to demonize certain countries. Russia remains banned over allegations of a state sponsored doping program. Other nations have athletes that have taken substances, but were never subject to a ban on competition. The tension between the US and China can be seen with the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing winter Olympics. The Olympic Games show how divided the world is becoming. While it would be ideal to use sports competition as a means of reducing tension, they encourage a dogmatic nationalism. The United Nations has not been able to make the world more peaceful. Failure to confront Israel, authorizing  military force in Libya, and the conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo demonstrate its ineffectiveness. Major world powers are not subject to the same rules as other nations. Antonio Guterres' statements suggest a general lack of understanding of what leaders use international sports competition for.  The UN Secretary-General will be attending the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games. This is more of a symbolic gesture, rather than diplomatic outreach. 

President Kias Saied and The Crisis in Tunisia

 

President Kias Saied has suspended parliament. Saied was elected as an independent who vowed to challenge political corruption in Tunisia. The major source of contention was control of the security forces.  The security forces were what kept the authoritarian structure functioning . Disagreements and political factionalism are dividing the country. Saied decided to remove the prime minister and invoke emergency powers. Tunisia experiment with an accountable and democratic government may be coming to an end. Some speculate that what occurred in Tunisia around 2010 was nothing more than a regime change. Since the fall of Zine Abidine Ben Ali Tunisia has struggled to maintain stability. A stagnant economy and problems from a global pandemic only made conditions worse. Demonstrations are growing through out the country. While President Saied still maintains support, it remains in question how much  popularity  the Ennahda Party. Tunisia was suppose to be a model of democratic transition. The narrative of the Arab Spring as being a revolutionary movement does appear to be an accurate assessment. President Kias Saied could become like former leaders of Tunisia. North Africa continues to deal with the fall out from the uprisings that happened ten years ago. Algeria, Libya, and Egypt have similar difficulties. The use of emergency powers in Tunisia could be used against political opposition.  

President Pierre Nkurunziza Has Died

Burundi has announced that President Pierre Nkurunzia has died. The cause of death was a heart attack. He was only 55 years old. There has been a level of skepticism about the official cause of death. Some wonder if it was COVID-19 related complications. There exists no concrete evidence of what really happened in Karuzi Hospital or what President Nkurunzia's health condition was . Too many are quick to say there was an assassination or conspiracy. Since the announcement a seven day period of national mourning has been declared. Burundi will go through a major political change. President Pierre Nkurunzia had been leading the country since 2005. The civil war had devastated most of the country and ever since instability has been a part of Burundi's politics. When President Nkurunzia announced he was running for a third term, this sparked protests in 2015. Pierre Nkurunzia  was accused of repression and human rights violations during his presidency. Supporters cite his leadership brought peace after the Burundian Civil War (1993-2005). Others criticized his repressive actions directed at the political opposition. Elections will be held in August, this time in a post- Nkurunzia political atmosphere.  

There Was Never A State of Global Normalcy

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed life around the world. It has made people wish for some type of normalcy. The illusion is that there was some form of stability. Global normalcy is a myth. War, poverty, economic instability, and a general decay of society was prevalent before the pandemic. The notion that nation-states are acting as guides in global crisis is shattered with the continued deaths and increasing infection rates. Some have been insulated in bubbles, without recognition of the extent of human suffering. The common maxim "we are all in this together" shows a level of delusion that the public has. Disproportionately the elderly, discriminated ethnic groups, and the poor are effected the worse by the pandemic. These groups were already at a disadvantage in society. The crisis just exposed how they are isolated and marginalized. The calls for unity are only statements as international conflicts and disputes continue. The US, Russia, and China are still in a struggle for geopolitical dominance. Iran and North Korea remain under sanctions. The constant state of conflict and animosity was never normal. The developed world has been protected from some of the erratic events of the globe, but this could be coming to an end. Neoliberal capitalism has put the average person in a condition of financial vulnerability. Unemployment and a weakened social safety net will certainly cause civil unrest. Global normalcy and the international order have been set into disarray. The world will never be the same and does not appear to be progressing to a better future. Stability  never a part of the world.Once the pandemic has ended, there will be more contention and division among nations. Previous global issues and disputes could escalate. World history is an extensive documentation of armed conflict, economic struggle, and unrest. Global normalcy was a concept designed to create the illusion of stability and international order.
      Warfare continues unrestrained despite the international crisis. Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria,Libya, Somalia, Yemen,  and the DRC remain in states of conflict. Israel has not softened its aggression either, with plans to expand settlements underway. There are even attempts to depose legitimately elected governments. Venezuela could be facing a possible US attack or regime change by the Trump administration. It has been alleged that mercenaries were sent to induce a coup against President Nicholas Maduro's government. The US and the right-wing governments in Latin America are attempting to remove socialist or leftist governments either by direct force or  covert action. Warfare has become a normal part of the international stage, with various nations planning massive conflicts. China and Russia have been demonized to distract from internal problems of the EU and US. The reason conflict is encouraged has to due with economic and political factors. The arms trade would not exist if it were not for armed conflict. The business of building tanks, guns, aircraft, and naval ships is too profitable. The United States, Russia, the UK, and Germany have invested too much in arms exports. The world has never been in a general state of peace. Politically, the democracies of the West do not have anything to offer the public in the face of economic collapse. Politicians rather not embark on ambitious reform or programs to address social and international problems. Instead a tactic is to use scapegoating and fear to direct public anger at another country or race. The COVID-19 pandemic will inevitably make the world blame China. The disputes related to trade and geopolitics could result in war. Analysis have described a new Cold War between the US and China, but the tension seems more critical. The 20th century saw devastating conflicts such as World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the wars in Indochina. There was hope that with a newly established United Nations, that international disputes could be solved without violence. Once more, world power politics continued to be the mode of operation. During the Cold War it was two superpowers in competition for global influence. When the Soviet Union collapsed this cause a dramatic change. The US was the sole superpower . As old ethnic and religious hatreds emerged in a changing world, so did the mass migration of people. Internationalism and globalism is being rejected in favor of a more rabid xenophobic nativism. The world is not one; it is nations fighting one another. Unity among humankind it is impossible as long as people cling to their national, racial, and religious hatreds. The fact that conflicts have continued despite the global pandemic is proof of this.
        Economic insecurity has been a constant menace to various nations of the world. Neoliberal  capitalism has failed to produce prosperity for the majority of the world's population. Under such strain, income inequality and poverty will only get worse. The only logical conclusion that can be made is that the capitalist system no longer works. The only reason to attempt to salvage such a system is because no clear  alternative exists. Socialism could be a solution to such problems, but world revolution is out of reach. There are numerous political, social, and regional circumstances that prevent such an event from emerging. At the most basic level, the world population has not reach a level of consciousness to do so. The world's poor have no power. Even in the liberal democracies, the politicians and legislators favor the elite. The average citizen has less influence compared  the corporations who largely finance certain political figures and organizations. Poverty can no longer be hidden with more people requiring food stamps and unemployment assistance. The global economy has bee erratic since the Great Depression. The stock market crash in 1987, the Asian financial crisis in 1998, and the 2008 global financial crisis are just a few examples in recent history of economic instability. The pandemic is not to blame for the sudden economic crisis. This was the inevitable result of supply side economics, deregulation of banking, and neoliberal economic policy. The concern was about economic growth and accumulation of profit. Stagnant incomes or decline in the standard of living was not the concern of business leaders or economic advisors. Social mobility has become more out of reach for the majority of workers, while others fall from a position of financial security. Workers have been struggling for one decade to the next, with little help. While a select few at the top of the social scale have seen more wealth, that was taken as a sign everyone was doing well.  The illusion was shattered and the world grows evermore restless. Class oppression, which was seen as normal is now being challenged. Human history since the rise of civilization has been be pyramid structure of social hierarchy . Oppression is not a normalcy, rather it shows the level of dysfunction in a society. A new distinct conflict is emerging, which is based around class.For most of human history this has been happening, yet now it has become even more pronounced.Economic  recovery may never come,but for most it did not materialize. The myth of economic security has come to an end and world governments do not have a proper response.
         A combination of  erratic world events has created social decay. The largest example is the inadequate amount of healthcare the average person receives. Countries with functioning healthcare systems are able to handle the pandemic better. Before countries that are reliant on private insurance have caused much distress to the public. Insurance basically decides what type of care a person  receives or whether or not a person get care at all. Developing countries struggle to maintain a basic healthcare system. Connecting business with healthcare only shows how corrupt society has become. Profit and business is more important than human life. This may only be an extension of other negative attitudes. Racial animosity is on the rise, with immigrants being used as scapegoats. Hate groups, fringe organizations, and far-right extremists are becoming politically acceptable. Out of fear and hate they are being embraced by a public that is vulnerable to propaganda. The social decay that is happening was not sudden. This was a gradual deterioration of communities. Globalization and partisan politics cause massive division around the world. Instead of  expanding opportunity governments added to social decay. Public programs and services were being dismantled in favor of privatization. Along with unfair tax codes and the disappearance of high paying jobs, poverty increased. The developing wold had been dealing with economic challenges since independence from former colonizers. The 2008 global financial meltdown saw Europe impose the most stern measures of fiscal austerity. Generations may never experience comfort or stability like they did in the past. As the elite gain more wealth and power, it becomes more apparent that conventional means of political participation cannot stop them. The anger and frustration has become too enormous to placate. Civil unrest could be a possibility, if there is not some way to combat social decay.
        The current world crisis has exposed many faults with humanity. Prejudice, suspicion, hatred, and scapegoating have been prevalent. The calls for unity are mostly disingenuous coming from the US-EU block. Sanctions are still being imposed on Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, and North Korea. Discussions of aid or assistance has been non-existent for these states. There are some people in society that are not deemed important, but contradicts the mythical narrative that humanity is fighting all together one of the worst crisis of the century. African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans are dying at higher rates from COVID-19. Medical neglect demonstrates that the US does not care about citizens are are not white. The most egregious aspect is that spurious claim has been accepted that these ethnic groups just do not take care of their health. The elderly also are seen as low priority with retirement homes facing high rates of infection. These cases of abuse and neglect were common even before the pandemic. Normalcy was never a part of the world. There is talk of  times being unprecedented or turbulent. History has been a narrative of violence, unrest, and dramatic social change. Wars, revolutions, and civil disturbance were common. The difference now, is that more people are taking note of  this cycle unrest. Technology has allowed greater access to information and the ability to document events as they happen. The promotion of blind optimism or the false sense of unity is designed to keep the population passive. World civilization is going to be changed an extreme fashion and it may be difficult for people to accept.The ruling elite want to maintain the economic and political status quo, but a growing number of people will question it. So much so that the mechanisms of liberal democracy will be subject to scrutiny. The international order of the 20th century has officially collapsed. A new world has emerged and the concept of global normalcy has come to an end.            

Prime Minister Thomas Thabane and The Crisis in Lesotho

Lesotho appeared to be on the verge of another coup. Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has become a controversial figure, with his wife accused of murder of his ex-wife Lipoleo Thabane. The Southern African country has struggled with military coup's since it independence in 1966. This is not the first time Thomas Thabane served as  prime minister. He served between 2012 to 2015 and fled to South Africa when he thought his life was in danger. So far, it appears that Prime Minister Thabane is seeking immunity for himself and his wife related to the murder Lipoleo. It is possible that he could be removed from power by means of a snap election. If Prime Minister Thabane is to be removed from office it should be done by democratic means instead of extralegal means. The army was deployed on to the streets according to the government as a means of restoring order. The constitutional court rejected a plan to suspend parliament. There have been calls on Thabane to resign, but he has resisted these demands. If Lesotho becomes unstable it could generate a South African response. These two countries are closely connected both economically and politically. Thomas Thabane still remains head of the All Basotho Convention and if he remains some level of South African support he will have considerable protection.    

Remembering Robert Mugabe

Robert Mugabe who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and later President from 1987 to 2017 has died. Zimbabwe's first leader passed away at the age of 95 and the continent has lost an important icon in the anti-colonial freedom struggle. White minority rule regimes at one time plagued Southern Africa, with numerous European countries and the United States being complicit in human rights abuse. Robert Mugabe fought in the Rhodesian Bush War to free the people from the racist regime and British domination. As the years progressed he became more vocal about Pan-African political ideology and asserting African national sovereignty. Mugabe's leadership was not without faults. The Lancaster House agreement was designed to return land to Zimbabweans who lost it during land theft in the 1960s by white Rhodesian farmers. The mistake was to assume that this agreement was going to be honored. Zimbabwe and ZANU-PF seemed to abandon their socialist roots instead focusing on free market reforms. This resulted in economic mismanagement and combined with sanctions from the US and UK harmed the economy. The same countries that imposed sanctions were the ones who supported Apartheid South Africa , while Robert Mugabe was actively fighting against the regime. His legacy and administration remain controversial to some, but most Africans realize he was a dedicated freedom fighter and ally to the global south. 

Global Public Discord

Every where on Earth there is  either protests, uprisings, or armed rebellion. The world's population has grown more frustrated with the conditions of political, economic, and social affairs. Upheaval is not just present in unstable nations. Both liberal democratic and authoritarian systems are experiencing a new phenomenon. Global public discord has spread to all various countries and continents. While revolt, protests, and civil unrest has been a part of human history, global public discord differs in certain attributes. It is a reaction to ineffective government, the negative consequences of globalization, and the desire to see meaningful change. The populations of the world are no longer willing to tolerate abuse. The challenge remains of what a new future would look like after such changes in society are made. The new global society has reached a point of crisis, with limited solutions coming from the supranational organizations or diplomatic alliances.  There is no way to predict what all these events will lead to. There can be only speculation about such results. A more optimistic view is that a world revolution could occur finally ending the global network of oppressive power structures. A more realistic possibility is that the world could fall into a deeper state of chaos. Failed states, war, or economic turmoil could be so common that civilization may not be able to function. This may not be a collapse of civilization entirely, rather a dramatic nadir in global society. Solutions are required to address such issues, before nothing can be done. Global public discord may be a new force none which has been seen since the enlightenment, the  revolutions of 1848,  or decolonization in the 20th century. Global public discord has been enabled by technology, the rapid spread of  ideas, and the declining living standards or abuse or people around the world by a ruling elite.
     No matter what type of government most are unable to meet the needs of their citizens. Even in countries with high income fail large portions of their people. Ineffective government can be seen in both liberal democracies and authoritarian systems. For so long liberal democracy has been presented as the best form of government. This bias has deluded many to how representative government has multiple limitations. The mechanisms that are designed to give citizens power still favor a ruling elite. Special interest groups and corporations maintain dominance in democratic governments being at the top of the pyramid structure. Voting, working on political campaigns, running for office, or other forms of civic participation are unable to break this influence. The illusion of rule by the people is really a plutocracy in a majority of the western democracies. These countries of the US and EU nations are unable to solve problems of poverty, racism, or threats of violence. The chance of social mobility are limited and equality only preached as a value. Discrimination and extremist violence are still a part of these liberal democratic systems. Oppression exists in these societies, yet the model is presented as superior or the only alternative. Authoritarian systems also engage in oppression in a more blatant manner compared to liberal democratic systems. The liberal democracies are more covert in their human rights abuse. The authoritarian system of government centers around a charismatic leader , strongman, or single party state apparatus. The government has only one purpose in mind : to either expand power or maintain strict control. The reason authoritarian systems appear in mostly African, Asian, and Latin American nations was due to the legacy of colonization. Colonies were not given full freedom when under the control of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, US, Spain, or Portugal. Colonies were not democratic systems rather they were ruled directly, indirectly, or fell under a sphere of influence. The end of World War II and the Cold War, many of the global south nations adopted liberal democratic systems, but the authoritarian political structures remained intact. Through a century of political change people living in countries around the globe saw their standard of living fluctuate. Stable employment was not a guarantee nor was educational opportunities or adequate healthcare .  Gradually, this generated a reaction form the new global society.
        Ineffective government cannot protect the rights or welfare of its citizens. Its concerns are not about improving the nation, rather being involved in global power competition. Countries that are not major world powers still spend large amount on their military, not solely for the sake of defense, but prestige. The harm comes with the reduction of social services to the public. Corruption and mismanagement become catalysts for  revolt. Around the world global discord is taking shape in the forms of protests which could remain peaceful or become dramatically violent. The rule of Omar Al-Bashir over the last years of the 2010s was coming under challenge from protests. When the coup occurred in 2019 ending a the 30 years of his regime, the military assumed that protests would subside. They continued with the Sudanese population demanding change to their political system.The military's refusal to hand over power to a civilian government resulted in suspension from the African Union. This is only a beginning to want appears to be changing into a larger national movement. Algeria's longtime president Abdelaziz Bouteflika decided not to run for another term in 2019, when protests grew bigger. The announcement did not placate Algerians wanting a transition in leadership . He was not allowed to finish his term and forced to resign. Elections are planned to be held to elect a new president, yet there is little satisfaction from the opposition and Algerians protesting. Hong Kong's protests over a bill which would extradite residents to mainland China for criminal offenses, sparked outrage. Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam eventually stated that the bill will be terminated. However, the protests have not stopped and it appears there is an intention to have the movement go beyond the boundaries of Hong Kong. The fear is that the one party system in China will be challenged. These are examples of how global public  discord can spread fast and remain persistent. Liberal democracies are not immune for it.
       France, the US, and the UK are experiencing fall out from global discord. The yellow vest protests in France were a reaction to the government's reform in the tax codes. Rising fuel prices and the cost of living become more of a burden for the working and middle class French citizen. They have even called for the resignation of President Emmanuel Macron. The United States has multiple movements which include Black Lives Matter, Occupy Wall Street, and a new wave of women's rights activism in response to the Donald Trump administration.The Occupy Wall Street movement has lost momentum, even though economic inequality has become more pronounced. Black Lives Matter continues to confront police brutality and a corrupt criminal justice system, yet still faces challenges from courts. Reforms in policing, prisons, and drug policy have been halted under a more conservative administration. Scandals and acts of racism have encouraged people normally not active to use means of  unconventional participation in the United States. The UK since 2010 has had a anti-austerity movement. This currently has been overshadowed by Brexit, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants done by October of 2019. The United Kingdom since the European debt crisis has struggled with unemployment and harsher terms related to fiscal austerity measures. People are becoming more disgruntled with the state of the economy, politics, and social conditions of their nations. Liberal democracies used to pride themselves on the notion their societies were stable with limited political turbulence. Europe has to struggle with supranationalism and fiscal austerity policy that many citizens reject. The limited desire or inability of governments in both democratic and authoritarian systems to create functional societies  has created a backlash.  This has materialized into movements that could go on until a consensus is reached or fade away. Their success depends on whether or not the people who are active have developed a political consciousness or substantive ideas. There has to be an objective beyond just removing officials or reforms; there may need to be a major revolutionary change.
         Globalization has caused some of the discontent seen around the world. While there have been positive benefits such as cultural exchange and wider access to mass communication the economic repercussions have been more devastating.  Transnational corporations have generated global public discord in ways people do not realize. Outsourcing labor, which many companies in both Europe and North America have done has allowed for an international exploitation of labor. Simultaneously, employment and economic opportunities have left the developed nations. The developing nations are working harder with no increase in wages. Even in the developed nations wages remain stagnant under conditions of economic growth. This means that the average person does not have enough disposable income to keep the global economy stimulated. Decline in material conditions can be the start of global discord. The high cost of living, higher education, and healthcare force  people to become more more active. Globalization by definition is the international influence of corporations over world affairs. It has caused disturbances both in relation to politics and the hopes of social mobility. The middle class may shrink or be phased out under the strains of globalization. People who were is stable financial standing could fall into poverty. The more that living standards decline the higher amount of global public  discord. The counter argument is that globalization provides goods and services that allow the world population to live comfortably. The flaw of this reasoning is that inflation and  combined with low wages prevent a portion of people from achieving this. Moderate regulation of the free market has not made it fair for all of its participants. Neoliberal capitalism and supply side economics has become the dominant model, which puts transnational corporations above other institutions in society. International trade favors the richest nations, with the developing nations attempting to gain a level of economic independence.  The idea for nations in such a situation was to accept structural adjustment programs  to attract investment. Policies by the World Bank and IMF have not resulted in economic prosperity or growth for the global south. This is the most visible failure of  the economic element of globalization. The global financial crisis pushed the world population to the brink and subsequently global public discord expanded rapidly.
         The problems of society have become more visible with mass media exposure and wider internet access. Citizens of the world have a strong desire for change rather than the status quo. The authoritarian systems are in a fragile position with populations demanding more rights and freedoms. The  liberal democracies suffer a crisis of  political centrism and moderate levels of consensus building. The negotiations between political parties in North American and European states normally produces an agreement that most of the population regardless of political affiliation rejects. The election cycle brings a shift between liberal and conservative  governments, which over a series of decades has become erratic. Leaders in the liberal democratic states no longer have visions for the future, rather empty promises of change or reform. The citizens desire effective solutions to societal problems. Multiparty systems are no better at doing this compared to the authoritarian systems. The voters then may seek a maverick or be confused into electing a person who labels themselves as one. Other either take another alternative. The extreme is the embrace of xenophobic nativist nationalism with right-wing populist overtones. The less dangerous choice is voting for political parties that do not have a huge following or chance  of gaining office. The image that is presented is one of modern day Polybius sequence. The Latin American nations are trapped in this condition with many countries in the region resembling oligarchies. Only a few socialist states such a Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Bolivia are attempting to form a political alternative in a wave of more conservative governments in the region. Minor alterations in laws or new legislation will not be enough to end the malaise that world populations have for multiparty politics. The authoritarian systems have adjusted to world changes by making excuses that their actions are in the name of national security. The advantage this political  system has is that policies can be enacted faster, because there is no debate or discussion about them. Political or social change is not immediate, but people grow more vexed if they perceive that nothing is being done. The desire for longstanding solutions to economic, political, and social problems is what the world population wants. Empty promises or minor reforms have caused people to lose faith not only in political parties, but the institution of government itself.
         Global public discord can culminate in particular courses of events. The current spread of ant-government protests could morph into armed rebellion if conditions deteriorate further. Armed resistance has already occurred in some countries. Syria's civil war occurred when a section of the population protested and were met with force by the army. The people armed themselves and terrorist groups entered the country with another agenda in mind. Myanmar has been in a state of ethnic conflict through most of the 20th and 21st century. Even as the country attempts to move closer to a civilian and democratic government multiple ethnic groups still engage in combat with one another. Although European countries and North America are not in such dire situations, polarization will hinder any chances of efficient government. The citizens of these nations will either disengage completely or be willing to follow a person who is more extreme in relation to the political spectrum. The effect could be the corruption of systems of government designed to protect civil liberties, civil rights, and monitor political power. The least possible alternative is the one that would be the most revolutionary. The rise of global public discord may see a rise in anarchism. This political philosophy is often misunderstood or feared. Confused with the political condition of a failed state or civil disturbance, anarchism advocates limited or no government with the emphasis on voluntary association. Society would be cooperative, without the force of government power structure. Achieving such a revolution would not be possible under current circumstances. Consciousness must be raised to a certain level, rather than just organizing people around a set of objectives. If this is not done, movements can either vanish or descend into extremism. Discontent, feelings of hopelessness, and rage are becoming too common among members of different political systems. Global political discord is growing, yet many world leaders do not recognize or comprehend this phenomenon. The biggest challenge is creating a sustainable future and managing global public discord. Rapid transformation of society and the growth of  inequality has made global public discord more prevalent.                         

Carrie Lam Declares the Extradition Bill Is Terminated and Protests Continue.

Carrie Lam stated "the bill is dead" while protests continue with no end in sight. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong faces a political crisis, which may become an wider problem for the People's Republic of China. The extradition bill would have seen residents of Hong Kong tried in mainland China. The fear is that a person would not get a fair trial for a certain criminal offense. Some believe that the law was designed to target dissidents who were either against Beijing or the Chief Executive. The sudden change in law and policy has created friction even outside of China. Boris Johnson who seeks to become Prime Minister in the UK has made comments in support of  the protests. This was followed by swift condemnation from China. Ever since Xi Jingping became core leader, his presidency has sought unity through crackdowns and a limited toleration for protests. Instances of police brutality forced Carrie Lam to make an apology for poor conduct. Gradually calls for her resignation became louder, but there is a fear that she could be replaced by someone more stern in approach. The former British colony was transferred to China in 1997. Ever since, there have been cases of civil disobedience. The current protests seem different with participants demanding more. Escalation could lead to serious violence, but Beijing may not be will to use force against Hong Kong. The memories of Tiananmen Square still remain with some government officials. Although China has proclaimed this is domestic affairs matter and no nation has the right to interfere, drastic action could change global public opinion. The situation is a delicate balancing act between the people of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, Xi Jingping, and the question of the law.