Global Encirclement and Prospects of Socialism in the 21st Century

This article aims to contribute to the discussion about the ongoing transformation of the present unipolar, hegemonistic capitalist world order to a multipolar and fairer global system. The author claims that this transformation is taking place through the encirclement of the imperialist center by the developing and emerging countries of the global periphery. Previous waves of global encirclement are described and the reasons for its decline in the 20th century are analyzed. The paper also discusses the role played by China and Russia in the struggle for a multipolar world in the 21st century. The author argues that only a non-hegemonic multipolar world order can guarantee nations an independent choice of their path of socio-economic development and open the way for a socialism-oriented transformation in all countries.