“The search for a multilateral world is taking place against the background of the global crisis and the threat of chaos, whilst discussions about the end of history and the clash of civilisations are still ongoing. Welcome to a new century.”

Global power shifts and the search for a multilateral balance

After the end of the Cold War, the USA sought to implement unilateral foreign policies appropriate to the unipolar world. However, attempts to establish a new and consistent global balance in terms of policy, military and economy have not been successful. Over the last years, substantial losses and shifts in global power have occurred alongside the substantial effects of the global economic crisis. The uncertainty as to what kind of a balance this loss of power would result in means that chaos theories are of great use. According to Dr. Gürlesel, at the moment the USA is trying to avoid adopting multilateral policies based on realism and to establish a new multilateral balance by undertaking a leading role. Global and regional actors in the multilateral balance, its institutional structure, its rules and, above all, its centre of gravity, in other words its geopolitical area, will take become clearer in the coming era. Dr. Gürlesel says that Turkey will also be affected by the multilateral balance of the new era and Turkey may, for the first time, become a regional actor in the establishment of the new balance. However, it will only be possible to draw on Turkey’s potential as a regional actor by creating a healthy balance between idealism and realism.

Who is Dr. Can Fuat Gürlesel?

As the founder and director of Economy and Strategy Consultancy Services, he has, since 1991, been providing economic and sectoral consultancy and research services to financial sector institutions, business organisations, local governments, and public and foreign institutions.

He is the founding chairman of the Strategic Research Institute where he has worked since 2003. The institute carries out strategic research. He has written many books, articles, reports and similar works.