Pre-World War mentalities resurface with rising political extremism
The rise of radical political views worldwide resembles pre-World War dynamics. However, upcoming generations are likely to overcome these outdated beliefs.

In a nutshell
- Rising political radicalism is fueled by economic, social and identity divides
- These conflicts are likely battles of past ages experiencing their final revival
- Future generations faced with new global issues may challenge old ideologies
Today’s world is increasingly grappling with a mentality reminiscent of the Cold War and even that predating the two World Wars. The recent attempt to impose martial law in South Korea, one of the most advanced democracies and economies in Northeast Asia, exemplifies this mentality.
Is it class or geopolitics?
Commentators often point to economic and social factors to shed light on this phenomenon. For example, many believe that the increase in radical sentiments in eastern Germany is largely due to limited job opportunities, lower wages and a decline in the quality of social services compared to western Germany. Furthermore, residents in western Germany have had more exposure to multicultural environments. In contrast, this socioeconomic divide has caused many in the east of the country to gravitate toward the anti-immigration rhetoric espoused by extremist groups.
In the United States, it is often explained that Donald Trump and his supporters have taken control of the Republican Party due to the frustrations of disenfranchised and disaffected white males, as well as those without a college education. These groups have experienced diminishing social mobility and falling incomes. Similarly, rising inequality and the declining fortunes of the working class fuel the growing influence of Bernie Sanders-style leftism within the Democratic Party. The November elections further intensified awareness of the educational gap, which is increasingly perceived as a social and class divide marked by cultural, gender and even culinary differences.
Similarly, recent election outcomes in the United Kingdom, France and other democracies are rationalized by a shifting political landscape driven by economic discontent.

Another significant factor in the current climate is the increasingly hostile global geopolitical landscape, which resembles the pre-war situation of the 1930s. As the world becomes increasingly polarized into conflicting camps, domestic politics mirrors these global tensions. Radical far-right and far-left movements are gaining traction in countries that are major powers, putting centrists on the defensive.
In France today, much like in the 1930s, the left and the center have united to prevent the far right from coming to power. Similarly, in several federal lands of Germany, the left and center are coalescing to build a wall against the rise of the far-right parties. The upcoming federal elections are likely to reflect this trend. Reports of connections between radical parties and geopolitical rivals, such as Russia, echo past ideological battles, and the ongoing war in Ukraine underscores historical parallels in our geopolitically divided world.
Or is it irrationality?
Scientific evidence indicates that the world is on the brink of environmental collapse, with global warming evidenced by severe floods, scorching heat and extreme weather patterns. Global action is urgently needed but is sorely lacking. Even as environmental crises escalate, the green parties remain on the fringes of political influence in most countries.
Green policies are inherently neither right nor left. They often clash with center-right perspectives because they prioritize environmental outcomes over economic efficiency. Due to its nature, the green ideology is in perennial conflict with major industries like oil and mining. Green policies should not align with center-left ideologies either, as they may threaten jobs and worker welfare in existing industries. Retraining programs for displaced workers often fall short, compelling many who face structural changes to seek employment in lower-paying, less “respectable” jobs.
Given the magnitude of the global environmental crisis, it is only rational that green parties should have the potential to rally voters around collective action to save our planet. However, national agendas prioritizing identity – be it class, national, religious or gender-based – continue to overshadow environmental concerns at the political forefront. To put it mildly, irrationality empowered by the radicalizing bullhorns of social platforms dominates the political agenda over the rationality of environmental action, which, some will argue, is simply too complex for a TikTok reel or a tweet.

The final resurgence of a bygone era
Class, geopolitical and religious discourses powerfully dominate domestic and global politics today. This realm of geopolitical competition and identity division has its roots in the rationality of an era predating the World Wars. It has resurfaced with renewed vigor and serves as a backdrop for contemporary politics. Today’s ruling class primarily consists of the generation molded by the conflicts of the past, who shape the world in their image.
The worldview of these political elites was formed during the Cold War when the world was divided into “us” and “them.” Conflict was commonplace, there were two genders, religion or ideology served as the source of truth, class was the main form of identification and patriotism was seen as a call to duty.
For this reason, current world leaders have strongholds among this generation and their younger followers. The ruling class comprises leaders and the entire generation that has amassed the greatest wealth and power during the peaceful era since World War II. The electorates of these leaders increasingly reflect these established worldviews, seeking comfort in a nostalgic return to the societal norms of their youth. It is paradoxical yet somewhat rational that the younger followers, who have never experienced that past society, view it as a reference for a better future.
The past three decades have marked significant changes that this older generation has not fully internalized or accepted. Skepticism toward the U.S. remains a common sentiment among older generations in the former communist bloc, who attribute many life challenges to what they perceive as decaying U.S. capitalist culture. While explicit critiques of capitalism may have diminished over time, grievances associated with “decaying U.S. culture” resonate strongly with them and are experiencing a resurgence in popularity.
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Conversely, attributing the blame to “liberals in big cities and leftists on university campuses” who allegedly conspire with “communists” and various radicals abroad for most problems, both real and imagined, may resonate well with older voters across much of the West. The rationalization for the attempted martial law in South Korea is a surprising yet telling example.
Similarly, colonialism, which is allegedly still perpetrated by wealthier nations, serves as an easy explanation for many social ills in the developing world in the eyes of the older generation.
Echoes of past wars and ideological conflicts quickly revive latent distrust. Old habits run deeper than new realities, and trigger words such as “the U.S. imperialists,” “communists” and “colonizers” still have a potent impact on this generation.
Scenarios
Likely: The current generation will have to address emerging challenges
Significant changes may emerge when the generation shaped since the Cold War reaches the peak of its influence and power. This shift is essential for understanding how political ideologies may evolve in response to their unique experiences and worldviews.
The next generation is distinct from those currently in power, shaped by experiences that are untouched by events like the Iron Curtain, the Sputnik moment, the Cuban missile crisis, or the terrifying prospect of nuclear Armageddon. Instead, they witnessed the triumph of Western ideals and culture, accompanied by the overwhelming indulgence of consumerism. Their formative experiences included the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990 and the economic booms that followed, abruptly curtailed by global crises in 1998 and 2008, which moderated their aspirations for wealth. Furthermore, terror attacks like 9/11 that targeted their way of life significantly influenced their worldviews.
For a generation that came of age in this world, imperial conquest for territory and influence does not evoke a sense of duty. Instead, comfort may lead them to call any place around the globe home. Religious zeal and ideological fervor are not sources of truth for them. Gender issues, abortion and faith are viewed more as matters of choice, and may even be influenced not by conviction but by political and business expediency. The need for business competitiveness can bring multiculturalism or local patriotism to the forefront interchangeably, depending on the flavor of the day.
Many conflicts stemming from the old world may simply become irrelevant when this generation begins to assume leadership roles. Wars and disputes over territory, ideology or religion could be considered unnecessary and inconvenient. However, this generation will face its own challenges, with a demand for effective governance and increased expectations surrounding democracy.
The freedom to conduct business and travel has been an inseparable right for them; thus, any limitations, whether tariffs or borders, will ignite their passions. These conflicts will likely be dealt with not through deadly weapons but through tariff wars, not through the conquest of influence but through an oligopolistic struggle for markets. Their lives have been shaped by the benefits and drawbacks of the current mode of globalization, which defines this generation’s worldview and the challenges they face.
Unlikely: Environmental and social challenges take center stage
Similarly, just as older generations clash over past ideologies, it is possible that critical issues of the future – protecting our planet, ensuring access to clean drinking water, maintaining arable land for food production and combating widespread diseases – may go unaddressed by the current generation of leaders. Instead, these pressing challenges could fall to the next generation to confront.
This generation, now in their twenties and thirties, has been shaped by Covid-19. They have also grown up speaking a common language worldwide and sharing a familiar culture through Google, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
They will be increasingly affected by climate change, so green parties and net-zero policies could become foundational to their political agenda, prioritizing collective action for environmental sustainability and enabling radical lifestyle sacrifices for this purpose. Motivated by the urgent scale of the environmental and ecological crises it has inherited, this generation will likely be the first true borderless one capable of thinking globally. Instead of red and black, different shades of green could become dividing political colors for them.
Their approach to competition and conquest may center on outer space, online platforms and longevity rather than traditional power dynamics. Conflicts are poised to emerge between those possessing technological knowledge and those without, emphasizing the new class struggles that may arise within this global landscape.
While this narrative presents a caricature of potential realities, it underscores how each generation’s life experiences shape its values and priorities. The outdated relics of previous generations – ideas that may seem to define the current moment – are likely undergoing a final revival before giving way, in only the next decade, to the new generation’s perspectives.
This mentality gap exists within the same generations as well, but it is more pronounced between different generations because specific historical contexts influence it.
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