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016 : a year that will indefinitely have grave consequences that will shape the future . A year of two pivotal electorate decisions : Brexit and Trump . Both are indicative of the Western trend of the populist protest against the incumbent neoliberalist order , which has been brewing under the surface since 2008 . It is clear that these problems had been ignored for so long by the liberal consensus , which is why such vote results were so shocking and unexpected . We will also get to see the implications of these crucial decisions . The door to leaving the European Union has always been secured shut , but now the British decision has opened this door for all other members , whose populations are increasingly dissatisfied with the neoliberal economic policies and the negative effects of being ruled by one single central bank and monetary policy . Meanwhile , a Donald Trump presidency might bring back 1920s-style protectionism to the US , endangering the fate of free trade agreements , such as NAFTA . The anti-globalisationist rhetoric of the new leader of this global superpower might have some consequential backlash on the US ’ s status as the leader of the ‘ free world ’ and its chief influence in global affairs . At the same time , we should prepare to see China continue to climb to overshadow the USA and become the world ’ s greatest single power , with Beijing collecting more influence in Asia through its being a core state in the continent . We have already seen this manifest in ASEAN , but its influence will spread further than South-East Asia , extending into Africa , with huge influxes of Chinese investment and migration particularly in Tanzania , South Africa , and a copper deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo . It has already found profitable in the way of events in the Middle East , regarding both the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and natural resources , its close alliance with Iran and Pakistan , with CPEC ( China-Pakistan Economic Corridor ) becoming operational in November 2016 , reviving the ancient Chinese ‘ silk road ’. China is also rapidly militarising , hugely expanding its navy in order to assert dominance over the South China Seas . As we have seen from the US-China clash in those seas in 2016 , an escalation of a crisis into an intense conflict between these two superpowers could be on the horizon . The likelihood of this might multiply with a President Trump , who according to his infamous tweets , has no patience for giving into Beijing ’ s demands , or those of any power .
We also witnessed two highly significant data leaks : Hillary Clinton ’ s emails and the Panama Papers . How the big reveal of tax-avoidance and asset laundering schemes of prominent government officials will affect their fate in these positions of power is unpredictable . We are continuing to see the shifting terrain of knowledge authority and can only expect to see more political secrets unfold , under the influence of new powers such as Wikileaks .
2016 also saw the rise of new technology industries , particularly the autonomous and green car , with key players Google , Uber and Tesla paving the way , and we can only expect the other major ' disruptors ', such as Facebook and Amazon , to rush to follow their lead . Uber ’ s growth has been exponential , but its encounters with legal complications indicate the disparity between law and technology . The issue of law having failed to catch up with the rapid development of technology is one that will need to be addressed .
This new wave of technology has increased the closeness of different countries and created an even more globalised and interconnected world in many respects . However , at the same time , with the accompanying colossal economic benefits , non-Western civilisations , particularly China and those of Islam , have become increasingly more culturally assertive and less inclined towards Western values and institutions which were imposed on them . With the West ’ s internal crisis , propelled by the 2008 Financial Crisis , it is more vulnerable to erosion both from the outside and within . There is often the common misconception that economic modernisation and the increasing connectivity between countries goes hand-in-hand with Westernisation , and as proven in 2016 , this could not be more inaccurate . The overshadowing of the West is inevitable ; it is the question of how the West recognises this and responds that will determine the damages . T A M A R A J A C O B S E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F
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