Essay On:
“International Political Happenings in last ten years and its effect“
On the 24th of February, 2022, Russian troops stepped into Ukrainian territory. The Russian-Ukrainian war resulted in a global response from countries worldwide. Many countries cut off trade with Russia while also sending military aid to Ukraine; however, they did not send soldiers. Sending military assistance without troops showed a shift in how wars are fought— less through guns and bombs and more through politics. Although bullets are indeed being shot and military aid is being provided to Ukraine, the invasion could have resulted in a full-scale global war half a century ago.
After Russian Invasion
After the Russian invasion, many countries, especially Western ones, decided to impose trade sanctions on Russia. The sanctions cut off a flow of resources to Russia but also halted their economy. Not only can Russia not sell to countries that agreed to these sanctions, but many multinational companies(MNCs) also pulled out of Russia, including well-known ones such as Mcdonald’s and Starbucks.
Therefore, unemployment is expected to climb as workers get laid off from falling GDP and multinational companies pull out. In the long term, the overall skills of workers will likely decrease as MNCs will no longer train Russian workers. Additionally, local firms may not be as efficient as MNCs and may not have benefited from economies of scale, further lowering the productivity of the Russian economy. The worsening living standards, rising unemployment, and falling GDP may lead to strikes among the people, even with the Russian propaganda, and may pressure the government to stop the war.
Russian Economy Impacted
Western sanctions were imposed in hopes that Ukraine could stall out Russia long enough for the Russian economy to crumble and eventually have to pull out of the war. If the Russian economy crumbles, they will not be able to fund the war and will have to stop.
However, the adverse effects on Russia will create repercussions for other countries. Russia is the largest supplier of wheat and the second largest supplier of gas. Countries that have become dependent on imported goods from Russia likely will not be able to impose an embargo on them as they need supplies from Russia to survive. Moreover, Russia may purposely prevent grain exports from Ukraine so that they have some leverage against Western governments and convince them to lift the sanctions. This can cause starvation in developing countries while also causing inflation in more affluent ones. Furthermore, countries such as China continue trading with Russia in fear of the ever-growing influence of NATO. Countries taking sides may result in a split world and cause major global conflicts or, at the very least, unwelcome disturbances.
Adverse Effects of War
War has been damaging for many countries. The lack of trade in a major country affects the global economy and could worsen living standards globally. However, it has also prompted some countries to become more independent, creating energy for themselves using sustainable sources instead of importing them from other countries. Although being a country without having to depend on others is almost impossible, being less dependent on other countries can help in the long run. Overall, war is devastating because it can take innocent lives, but it also influences people to take action and fight for change.
War is highly chaotic and unpredictable. Perhaps Russia will be able to take over Ukraine before their economy crumbles, or maybe they will have to pull out because of civil unrest and sanctions. History has shown that minor incidents have the power to impact the future significantly. For example, Germany instigated the United States to enter the first world war, and the communist party of China defeated the nationalists when they were losing. Many events such as these in human history show how different the world could have been if they had never happened. What happens in the next few months may be another event that shapes how humanity will turn out.
Final Words
The Russian-Ukraine war affected how countries react to new conflicts, possibly giving insight into what may happen in other future ones. The difference between the nature of present-day wars compared to how they played out a century ago shows that wars are shifting from weapons to political strategies. It cannot be said whether the world is going into a more peaceful era or a more destructive one. As weapons have advanced to become more and more powerful, no one wants to instigate a world war with nukes. Quoting Einstein, “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”
By: Sejoon Park
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