Was the world ever unipolar? Is there a need for (dominant) power in the world? If everyone were equally powerful, we could call it a world of equals... And I see no sign of that. We (Europe, North America) still call ourselves the ‘First World’ and prattle on about the aid we urgently need to provide to the ‘Third World’ and the ‘emerging economies’, whose problems we are solving – whilst completely failing to recognise (or refusing to admit) that they have long since overtaken us on both sides.

Yes, they are struggling with the current situation just as much as we are; in some cases, they are suffering more. But they can cope with it! We have long since forgotten how to make sacrifices. I do not see a rosy future for us, and as for the world, I am placing my hopes rather on the wisdom of nations that have not been taken too seriously so far...