The Clash of Civilizations
Samuel P. Huntington
Work Presented by:
•Patricia Quintino Nº 21167
•Petr Makovsky
Nº 25335
•Peter Panholzer Nº 25333
•Ieong Chi Kun, Christine Nº 25246
•Fernando Piton Nº 25273
“It is my hypothesis that the fundamental
source of conflict in this new world will not
be
primarily
ideological
or
primarily
economic.”
Samuel P. Huntington
Main Agenda
Clash of Civilizations
7 Main Civilizations
Modernization vs Westernization
West vs the Rest
Conclusion
Civilizations
Civilization
Civilization is a cultural entity defined by
objective elements such as: language, history,
religion….
Clash of Civilizations
Clash of Civilization
a clash of cultural spheres within a single
global civilization
Why civilizations will clash?
 Differences among civilizations are real
and basic: history, language, culture,
tradition & RELIGION
product of centuries
 The world is becoming smaller
Why civilizations will clash?
Economic modernization & social
change throughout the world
Dual Role of the West
↑ Civilization-consciousness
Non-Wests  tend to shape the world
in non-Western ways
Why civilization will clash?
 Cultural characteristics & differences 
less mutable; Political & economic issues
 can be compromised & resolved
 Increase in economic regionalism:
Successful regionalism  reinforce
civilization consciousness; Economic
regionalism  succeed only in a common
civilization
Two levels for Clash of Civilization
Clash of Civilization occurs at two levels:
Micro-level – struggle over the control
of territory and each other
Macro-level – promote particular
political & religious values.
Kin-Country Syndrome
✷ World of civilization => World of double
standards
One standard to kin-countries & different
one to others
✷ Conflicts & Violence within same
civilization  less intense & less likely to
expand
Main Civilizations
The 7 main civilizations are:
Latin America
 Confucian
Japanese
 Islamic
 Hindu
 Slavic - Orthodox
 Western
Main Civilizations
• Japanese: Shintoism religion, not open-minded
•Islamic: with human and universal dimensions,
very generous
•Confucian: introspective, self-conscious, and
intuition; feel at ease in poverty and find their
delight in the pursuit of the Way
Main Civilizations
• Hindu: Composed of diverse doctrines, cults,
and ways of life.
• Slavic/Orthodox: Eastern and Central Europe
and the Balkans; Follow Mostly the orthodox and
catholic churches
• Latin American: Are the latin speaking
countries in America; Mainly Roman Catholic
Western Civilization
Modernization v.s., and, or Westernization?
The classical legacy
Western Christianity
European language
Separation of spiritual and temporary
authority
Rule of law
Representative bodies
individualism
Modernization v.s. Westernization?
WHY doesn´t Modernization and technical
development require Westernization?
• Individual level
• Societal level
Temporal Westernization
Western values used by the government
only until they are powerful enough to
denounce them as human rights
imperialism.
• “second generation indigenization”
• democracy paradox
Future tendencies
• As all politics is local politics, all power is
local power
• from the warren state phase to a
universal state phase:
held together by a compound of
federations, confederations, and
international regimes
The West versus the Rest
The West in effect is using international
institutions, military power and economic
resources to run the world in ways that will
maintain Western predominance, protect
Western interests and promote Western
political and economic values.
"the values that are most important in
the West are least important worldwide."
The West versus the Rest
Responses to the west:
 Non-Western states course of isolation
 Join the west and accept it institutions and
values
 attempt to "balance" the West by
developing economic and military power
and cooperating with other non-Western
societies against the West
Conflicts arised by Civilizations
TORN COUTRIES
Some countries have a fair degree of
cultural homogeneity but are divided over
whether their society belongs to one
civilization or another.
Leaders pursue a bandwagoning strategy
but the history, culture and traditions of
their countries are non-Western.
Typical torn countries are:
Turkey, Mexico, Russia
Why the Author wrote the Article
We suppose that Huntington
wrote this article because of the
diverse thinking about the nature
of global culture and because of
his past working as the director of
the Center for International
Affairs.
Conclusion
•Differences between civilizations are
real and important and civilizationconscious is increasing;
•Conflicts between civilizations will
supplant ideological conflicts;
•Western civilization is powerful and
has the majority, while the nonwestern civilizations, tend to
modernize theirs, trying to maintain
there culture and values.
Conclusion
Implication for the Western policy:
short term advantage
&
long term accommodation
Conclusion
Short term advantage:
• cooperation and unity
• cooperative relations with Russia &
Japan
• local inter-civilization conflicts
• limit the military strength and conflicts of
Confucian & Islamic states
• military capabilities & superiority
• strengthen international institutions that
reflect and legitimate Western interests &
values
Conclusion
Long term accommodation:
• maintain economic & military power
• Understand other civilizations’ religious
& philosophical assumptions
• identify elements of commonality
between Western & other civilizations
Bibliography:
• http://www.isesco.org.ma/pub/ISTD/En
g/20/P2.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_issu
es_in_Japan
• http://www.crvp.org/book/Series03/III14/chapter_i.htm
• http://www.religioustolerance.org/confu
ciu.htm
Class Discusion
Do you agree with the thesis?
Class Discusion
Do you think that these thesis
are up-to-date?
Class Discusion
Do you think that the 9/11 was
caused by a clash of
civilizations?