Global Trends

By: Kishore Mahbubani

The explosion in the numbers of children going to primary and secondary schools is about to be accompanied by an explosion in the numbers going to universities. What is truly revealing is how the curricula of the best universities all around the world are converging.

All the better universities know that they have to have strong science and engineering faculties to get any kind of global recognition.

Equally importantly, the language of science and engineering is a global language. The laws of physics apply equally in all corners. So, the global spread of education in science and technology is another major driving force in the creation of one world. Together, these forces have created common values… Indeed, with the resurgence of long-dormant cultures and societies, especially in Asia, cultural diversity will grow.

The best example I can think of as a common value is the rule of law. Here, one of the biggest global revolutions of all time has taken place with scarcely a murmur: the substitution of rule by law with rule of law.

And what is the key difference? Rule by law means that the general population obeys the laws of the land but the rulers — whether they are hereditary monarchies or absolute dictators — remain above and are not subject to those same laws.

By contrast, under the rule of law, everyone in society, rulers and ruled, is subject to the same laws. There are no exceptions.

From “The Great Convergence: Asia, the West, and the Logic of One World”