Characteristics Of The World Geopolitical Framework In The 2016 €“ 2020 Timeframe

The paper analyzes the world geopolitical framework from the perspectiveof the period 2008 – 2015 and it has as objective to point out the main characteristics of theperiod 2016 – 2020. As a background for the analysis a number of significant changes thathave an impact on the world economy are presented, among them: the rise of China to theposition of the largest economy in GDP terms measured as PPP in 2014, the rise ofdeveloping and emerging economies to the position of the main contributor (over 50 %) to theworld GDP formation in 2013, the instability and fragility of the European Union economy,the transition to a situation of real multi-polarity in the global balance of power. Based on theanalysis of these characteristics the author considers that after the onset of the crisis in 2008the world economy is characterized more and more by diversity, not only as regards thecenters of economic, military or political power but also as regards the approaches of variousentities: democracy co-exists at present with different levels of authoritarianism, liberalismco-exists with illiberalism, laic states co-exist with religious ones. An essential aspect of thenew world architecture is that diversity implies the co-existence of a variety of entities, a factthat does not imply automatically a peaceful co-existence.