Westfalia, worldfalia, eastfalia. El impacto de las transformaciones de la estructura de poder interestatal en el orden internacional

Abstract

Asia’s economic rise has transformed the structure of interstate power, both partially ousting traditional powers and influencing norms and institutions of the liberal international Order envisaged by Western powers and led by the United States since World War II. The current Westphalian order has to face the challenge of Asia (Is there an Eastphalian project?) and the cosmopolitan turn (Worldphalian project). Through the analysis of China’s relation with multilateralism and the «Responsibility to Protect», this article argues that the new power status of Asian powers allows them to influence the international order, participating in global normative processes and shaping institutions according to their goals and interests. They are no longer norm-takers but norm-makers. They actively participate in global normative processes playing different roles, but always active ones. Their actions do not create and lead a new emerging Eastphalian order. In contrast, they reinforce existing Westphalian principles and accept the progress of Worldphalian norms while seeking to limit them.