Global economic inequality and social instability rise

Recent reflections on the post-Cold War era suggest that the predicted “end of history” and the triumph of a single liberal capitalist model have failed to deliver universal peace and prosperity. Instead, the global landscape is increasingly defined by extreme wealth concentration and widespread social turbulence.

Data from the Oxfam 2026 report highlights a massive wealth gap, noting that twelve ultra-wealthy individuals, mostly from the United States, hold wealth equivalent to that of four billion low-income people in the Global South. Simultaneously, the Peace Research Institute in Oslo reports 65 active armed conflicts across 35 countries.

In addition to economic disparities, the rapid advancement of technologies like artificial intelligence and automation poses risks to labor organization and democratic stability. Critics argue that when technological and ecological transitions are driven solely by market dynamics without social or ethical governance, the consequences fall disproportionately on the working class, leading to increased job precarity and political disillusionment.