The world is rapidly heading toward a point of no return. For the moment, the most fundamental truth about the future is uncertainty and unpredictability. The global order, which in the past rested on certain rules, is today transforming into a fluctuating structure that transcends pragmatism and is shaped by arbitrary decisions. The effects of this transformation are not limited to the mechanisms of governance. If the population also adopts these same flexible and rule-free principles, it becomes genuinely difficult to predict what form societal dynamics might take.
Technology is one of the key players in this process. Digitalization and artificial intelligence, in the hands of large corporations that control global communication and information flows, have become a weapon. For example, the way Google algorithms are apparently used against independent and critical electronic media demonstrates that today’s technology can function at the whim of its owner. A similar situation is evident in the arms industry. Uncertainties in the procurement process of the famous F-35 fighter jets and the possibility that these planes could be remotely disabled highlight that the issue is not about possessing necessary technology, but about being able to develop it independently.
In this context, countries find themselves compelled to initiate a comprehensive transformation process to develop their own technologies and economic systems. Localization, economic, and strategic independence are no longer a choice but a necessity. A young population and the establishment of a robust industrial infrastructure are among the determining factors in this new, uncertain world.
Over the past decade, an "idea" has increasingly taken hold worldwide: "Democracies slow down decision-making processes, while authoritarian systems can deliver faster and more effective results." This discourse has become one of the most profound critiques of democracies. Yet democracy is not merely a form of government; it is also the foundation that enables freedom of thought, art, and conscience. Without democracy, the comfort, technology, and cultural development of modern life as we know it today would not have been possible.
In this regard, a historical comparison is noteworthy. The democracy and artistic understanding that emerged in ancient polytheistic Greece were, over time, altered by the influence of autocratic leaders and monotheistic religious authorities. Ancient democracy and the flawless ancient Greek statues eventually gave way to kingdoms and their subjugated, two-dimensional, primitive miniatures. While secular art relatively quickly returned to the aesthetics of ancient Greece, the return to democracy took much longer. The reemerging attitude today in Europe and other parts of the world that democracy is mere "chatter" carries the risk of plunging humanity into a new process of vulgarization and primitivization.
In a world where even the American president views himself as a king, the abolition of democracy and its replacement with authoritarian regimes is no longer just a thought. However, the opposite of this process seems more likely in the future. As global power dynamics shift, post-capitalist developments such as restrictions on property, nationalizations, and the strengthening of public economies could become some of the most prominent trends in the coming years. This means that while king-like authoritarian leaders may emerge on one side, novel democratic systems prioritizing the shared economic interests of the population could arise on the other.
During this time, utopias and new ideologies might also take shape. Developments such as local internet networks protected from external control, the fragmentation and regulation of massive corporations through state intervention, or unexpected, shifting alliances—like a rapprochement between China and Europe—offer clues about the direction the world might take in the near future. Unforeseen alliances could bring about an entirely new, unpredictable, yet unstable global balance beyond familiar geopolitical scenarios.
Disdaining democracy in the face of surprising developments would further reinforce the growing global trend of incompetent governance. The foundation of the modern life we are accustomed to rests on democratic systems that foster free thought and art. Thus, every rhetoric against democracy not only paves the way for authoritarianism but also prepares the ground for intellectual and cultural decline and mental shallowness.
On the other hand, in the modern world, the concepts of religion and spirituality must be separated. Kindness, the search for meaning, meditation, prayer, and faith can be part of an individual spiritual process, while the imposition of societal orders by religious authorities is perceived as an independently restrictive issue. Today, a new perspective that separates religion from spirituality is spreading rapidly.
The coming years could bring significant changes not only in politics and economics but also in cultural and social structures. The post-COVID-19 world might evolve in a direction distinct from previous systems. A new generation of politicians, unbound by traditional protocol rules and acting more directly and closely with the population, could take the stage. This might offer a chance to restore trust in politics. The world stands on the threshold of a major transformation process. Technology, economics, and forms of governance are not yet ready for rapid change. In this process, recognizing and protecting the value of democracy is not just a political decision but a fundamental necessity for a free, civilized, and just world.
