No. 2026-11 - Policy Discussion Paper - The Return of Empire? Rethinking Colonialism in a Fragmenting World Order

Abstract:

The article argues that the erosion of the postwar rules-based order is giving rise to a new, networked form of colonialism, characterized by extraction, asymmetry, and transactional power. Unlike classical empire, this “new colonialism” operates through digital infrastructures, financial systems, and geopolitical influence rather than direct territorial control. The authors interpret these dynamics as a pathological concentration of agency that undermines human flourishing. They propose “recoupling” collective capacities with collective challenges—through distributed agency, coalition-based governance, and multidimensional wellbeing metrics—as a pathway toward a more inclusive, post-colonial global order.