The crumbling rules-based order demands an artisan approach to global geopolitics
The piece likens the decay of the U.S.-led rules-based system to China’s abandoned housing blocks and urges states to adopt flexible, improvisational strategies.
Five years after China’s housing market collapse left countless unfinished towers, the author draws a parallel to the erosion of the U.S.-led rules-based order, now abandoned by many allies. He notes that institutions such as the UN General Assembly, WTO, and climate conferences persist despite dwindling influence, while NATO’s 2026 summit displayed surreal loyalty pledges to President Donald Trump. The text highlights growing fragmentation, contagion, and the weaponisation of economic chokepoints, from semiconductor export controls to oil-shipping routes.
Citing conversations with global leaders, the author describes widespread uncertainty about future security guarantees. He contrasts “architect” attempts to rebuild universal frameworks with “artisan” responses that adapt existing structures, citing China’s flexible blocs like BRICS+ and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The article concludes that states must shift toward pragmatic, region-focused strategies and technological sovereignty to survive an orderless world.
Why it matters
It explains why traditional global institutions are losing relevance and how nations might navigate an increasingly chaotic international system.
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