Global Political Insight

The looming crisis of the Islamic State (IS) has propelled numerous countries into panic. Others, meanwhile, calmly stand their ground, even if their interests appear somewhat threatened by the advent of this transnational Islamist organisation. China is one such nation. 10 % of its oil is drawn from Iraq, where IS is most prominent. China […]

The rise of China as a global power over the last 30 years has led to much speculation about what this meant for the existing global order. China with it’s 1.3 billion people, and huge growth has fast become the world’s largest economy based on PPP according to an FT report which cited data from […]

CCTV America interviewed Alexander Clackson on the G20 summit. He’s the founder of the international affairs think-tank Global Political Insight with expertise on Russia.  

Recent news that the British government will back the development of HS3, a project that will see a connection between England’s northern cities, looks set to start a chorus of protest similar to much hyped STOP HS2. Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party, have already sharpened their claws, ready to pounce, claiming HS3 ‘will leave […]

RT’s political debate show CrossTalk invited Alexander Clackson, founder of Global Political Insight; Charles Bausman, chief editor of Russia Insider; and Martin McCauley, author and Senior Lecturer at the University of London to discuss President Putin’s image. Issues discussed included: What draws the image of Putin in the West? How has Putin evolved since he […]

As the stand-off between Russia and the West continues, one organisation seems to be completely off the radar, and yet has managed to make great strides in its development and growth. This organisation is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), an intergovernmental group of Central Asian countries aiming to promote cooperation between its six member states:Russia, China, […]

By: Arman Sidhu As part of Narendra Modi’s regional foreign policy, the prime minister’s most recent visit to Japan has solidified India and Japan’s historically friendly ties. With Japan serving as example for Modi’s vision for a flourishing economic powerhouse, the talks between both governments have rendered increasing strategic partnerships in trade, a subject of […]

History illustrates that the recurring themes of a world with a fading hegemon are wars and instability. From Eastern Ukraine, to the South China Sea, current events signal a shift in the global strategic balance. Russia and China have become increasingly antagonistic towards the perceived interference from the West into their spheres of influence. These […]

While attending the BRICS summit in July this year, President Xi made a state visit to Brazil where he met with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. This was Xi’s first visit to the country since becoming president (he previously visited as Vice President in 2009), and comes as China and Brazil celebrate their 40th anniversary of bilateral ties. Before […]

In 2016, the world’s fastest growing economies, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, commonly abbreviated as the ‘BRICS’ countries, with South Africa being the latest addition to the group, will set up their own Development Bank. The Development Bank will focus on BRICS infrastructure projects and will serve to support the blocs’ economies. The […]

Following the ongoing Ukrainian crisis, much has been said about Russia’s “isolation” from the “international community.” Russia’s relations with the West, and particularly with the U.S., have clearly undergone a dramatic deterioration over the past six months. Russia has recently been subjected to a previously unimaginable litany of trade sanctions, asset freezes, and visa bans. However, the West is only one part of the […]

At the moment, most global trade is conducted in U.S. dollars and more than 60 percent of all global foreign exchange reserves are held in U.S. dollars. This gives the United States an enormous built-in advantage, but thanks to decades of incredibly bad decisions by America, this advantage is starting to erode. Discussions and rumours […]

Since the end of the Second World War, America has been the undisputed superpower of our world, matched only by the sheer size and nuclear capabilities of the Soviet Union. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall and thus the collapse of the USSR, America has been the unprecedented champion with military and economic might […]

Long gone are the days when America and Western Europe could credibly claim to set the international agenda and lead the way as leaders of the world. Since the financial market meltdown of 2008, it has become clear that nothing can be resolved without substantive support from China, India, Brazil, Russia and other emerging powers. […]

After the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the downfall of the Soviet Union, many commentators and political scientists assumed that the world had arrived at the finish line of the political and social marathon. This was exemplified by Francis Fukuyama who argued in his 1992 book “The End of History and the Last Man” that the […]