by Ron Raskin
Today, people in Western societies can feel that something is changing. After years of peace, wars are breaking out around the world, and societies are becoming more divided. Things were once calm, but now instability is growing. Some even compare it to the years leading up to World War II in the 1920s and 1930s.
There are many reasons for this shift, but two of the most important are the changing balance of power between different political and social groups and the narrowing technological gap between Western democracies and other countries.
Though a largely predictable—yet not unavoidable—result of this shifting balance of power, the demand to reshape the world has emerged. While the demand itself is rather reasonable, this power shift is, unfortunately, not about a gentle adjustment of influence and cooperation but rather an all-or-nothing struggle, as some of the new players demand nothing less than total control. And, much like Nazi Germany, this poses an existential threat to the free world.
So, how should Western democracies respond? There are several approaches:
- Avoid confrontation and wait it out – Some believe that if democracies remain patient, tensions will naturally cool down over time. This worked with the USSR but failed with Nazi Germany or Putin’s Russia
- Isolationism – Some countries might be tempted to stay out of the conflict by closing their borders and focusing only on their own interests, hoping that distance or the sea will keep them safe. In the past, this strategy worked for the U.S. in World War I and II, as it allowed them to step in later when others were already weakened and was quite beneficial for the U.S.. However, today’s conflicts are global from the start, making isolation unrealistic—no country can stay completely safe from the storm.
- Actively suppress threats – Some argue for taking strong action against emerging threats. However, given the declining demographics in Western countries, the humanitarian values of Western society, and the presence of nuclear weapons, full-scale military suppression is infeasible.
None of these options seem ideal. Instead, there is another approach: addressing the root cause of the problem. This means strengthening the foundation of Western democracies to prevent hostility before it escalates.
The two key issues behind today’s instability are the declining proportion of Western democracies in the global population and the shrinking technological advantage. A long-term solution must focus on increasing population growth in democratic societies while maintaining technological leadership through high-quality education and market efficiency. A larger population, combined with technological progress, ensures long-term stability and security.
The Plan in Detail:
The plan has three main parts: information, unity, and demography.
- Information – Until recently, the world was shaped by Western democracies, promoting globalization, law, and open opportunities for people everywhere. This system was meant to prevent conflicts driven by narrow national interests. Yet, despite these efforts, we now face wars and instability. The root cause isn’t just economic or political—it’s about differing worldviews and beliefs about what is right and wrong. Winning this battle of ideas can prevent actual wars. No Nazism—no World War II. No communism—no Cold War. The same applies today. Western democracies must treat information warfare as a strategic priority.
- Defense: Protect democratic societies from misinformation that seeks to divide and destabilize them. People in the U.S. should understand Europeans, Europeans should understand Israelis, and so on. A shared, unbiased information space will help strengthen unity and stabilize democracy.
- Offense: Challenge authoritarian regimes that suppress free speech and control narratives by making access to information in autocratic societies as widespread, simple, and uncontrollable as possible. Breaking down these information barriers in authoritarian regimes can weaken hostile ideologies before they escalate into real threats.
- Unity – Western democracies should form a stronger alliance or even a Western supranational union that handles military and geopolitical strategy. This alliance should use information to build trust among its members, fostering cooperation. With a combined population of up to 1 billion, such a union would project strength worldwide and deter threats against any of its members.
- Demography – Western societies need to rethink their priorities. Instead of focusing only on technological progress, they should balance it with population growth in Western nations. A larger population, alongside innovation, ensures long-term strength. Instead of prioritizing GDP per capita, the focus should shift to overall GDP. The best way to secure a good future for the next generation—and prevent future wars—is to have more children and strengthen society from within.