World order will swing back from a realpolitik view to a liberal orientation, says N. Ram

N. Ram predicts a shift from realpolitik to a liberal world order, emphasizing the importance of credible news media for youth.

The world order will swing back from a realpolitik view, serving national interests, to a liberal world order, said N. Ram, director, The Hindu Group of Publications.

Speaking at an event organised at Shankar IAS Academy for distribution of The Hindu Year Book to toppers on Thursday, Mr. Ram said there will be a change towards a liberal political orientation. Mr. Ram stressed the need for credible news media that promotes critical faculty, for young people to form their own judgement. “Some young people read a lot,” he said.

Answering questions with reference to the tariff wars, the United States withdrawing out of multiple international institutions and whether India was moving towards a situation favouring its own need as opposed to a global world order that is dependent on cooperation, Mr. Ram said: “I think we are already in that kind of situation.”

Pointing to the Indian government’s stand on Israel, Mr. Ram said: “Reporters and others have found genocidal violence committed by Israel in Gaza. It is very hard to defend, given India’s historical position on the Palestine question, on the West Asian question. It was not just Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it started a little earlier, the Congress government also, a realpolitik world view that my national interest will be served only if I do this.”

Responding to a question about whether the world order would shift or countries would continue to prioritise self-interest, Mr. Ram said: “I think it would swing back also. Because, take the U.S. for example, Trump, this is his last term, although he has thrown hints that he could continue. But I don’t believe it. It is just bluff. But by all accounts, he is going to face real trouble in the mid-term elections, Congress, and if the Democrats win, he will be impeached, and even people from his party may join that, if it goes beyond the tolerance limit. I see some setbacks for Trump, and it will come back in some States, to a more liberal political orientation. I think it will change. They already call this a lame duck term, although plenty has happened. Three more years. I think there will be change. It is true that many countries have moved, some extreme right parties have come to power or are threatening to come to power, including in the United Kingdom, and the present Prime Minister by all accounts is very unpopular after a big win.”

Shankar IAS Academy Director Vaishnavi S. D. participated in the event.