Beyond Minerals and Might: Rethinking Global Order in an Age of Exploitation and Existential Risk

Abstract

The persistence of conflict, ecological collapse, and opportunistic diplomacy amid global crises reveals the limitations of existing international institutions and statecraft grounded in narrow self-interest. This article presents a philosophical and interdisciplinary critique of contemporary geopolitics, showing how actors prioritize mineral wealth to determine diplomatic value and sideline humanitarian crises unless strategic interests align. Drawing on moral philosophy, political economy, systems science, and human psychology, it explores how extreme wealth inequality and the unbridled accumulation of capital are corroding democratic norms and fueling global disorder. It concludes with transformative ideas for a new global ethic, built on cooperation, planetary stewardship, and a reawakening of the human conscience.

The Crisis of Instrumental Diplomacy

Recent U.S. engagement with selected African states and Ukraine, under the guise of conflict resolution, reveals a recurring pattern: diplomacy is no longer a vehicle for justice, but a transactional mechanism for resource acquisition. Rare earth minerals, cobalt, and lithium—not human dignity—have become the currency of international attention. The logic is evident: nations like Ethiopia, mired in ethnic conflict and humanitarian crisis but lacking strategic minerals, are deprioritized (Rotberg, 2020). When peace becomes contingent on material gain, global ethics collapse into economic calculus.

The Failure of the United Nations

The United Nations, founded to prevent war and uphold human dignity, has primarily been paralyzed by structural flaws and political manipulation. The Security Council, dominated by a few powerful nations with veto rights, obstructs urgent interventions in conflicts that lack geopolitical value (Weiss & Daws, 2007). As atrocities unfold in silence and environmental degradation escalates, the UN's moral authority weakens. Power asymmetries and vested interests compromise the institutions meant to secure international peace.

Root Causes: Economic Inequality and the Corruption of Democracy

At the heart of today's moral and political decay lies an unchecked wealth accumulation by a small elite. Global economic inequality has reached unprecedented levels, with fewer billionaires owning more than half of the world's wealth (Piketty, 2014; Oxfam, 2024). This concentration of capital is not merely an economic anomaly—it is a systemic corruption of democratic ideals. Financial elites, many publicly espouse philanthropic or religious values, continue to undermine public institutions, influence elections, and shape policies that favor profit over justice (Giridharadas, 2018).

The irony is sharp: these individuals attend ethical seminars, donate to churches that preach care for the poor, and fund university departments on leadership and social responsibility. However, their business practices often result in environmental degradation, labor exploitation, and the monopolization of vital resources. Their appetite is insatiable; their moral compass, selectively applied. This behavior is not just a failure of education or religious doctrine, but also a triumph of structural greed over ethical restraint.

Systems of power do not merely neglect people with low incomes—they systematically dispossess them. In a world where food, water, and housing systems financialize basic needs and commodify healthcare and education, powerful actors transform the vulnerable into economic prey. The same elites who fund conflict-resolution summits profit from arms contracts, resource extraction in war zones, and reconstruction deals. The cycle is self-reinforcing, with inequality begetting instability, and instability justifying further elite consolidation of power.

A Philosophical Reckoning: The Erosion of Human Conscience

The Enlightenment's promise of a rational, moral, and just society has faltered under hyper-capitalism and technological dominance. Market fundamentalism has replaced Kant's vision of cosmopolitan ethics (Kant, 1795/2006), reducing human beings to labor inputs and consumers. The spiritual and philosophical teachings that once restrained human greed—be it Christian concern for the poor, Islamic charity (zakat), or African communalism—have been hollowed out by commodification.

Our moral imagination is shrinking. A system that rewards self-interest and punishes empathy dulls the ability to feel across borders, to weep for the suffering of strangers, and to see climate refugees as kin rather than threats.

Scientific Warnings and Ecological Collapse

The planetary crisis—climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity—is not a distant threat. It is unraveling ecological systems on which human survival depends (Steffen et al., 2015). The Earth does not respond to stock prices, national borders, or military strength. It reacts to emissions, deforestation, and industrial abuse. Science has spoken clearly: business as usual leads to ecological suicide. However, global leaders, entranced by economic growth metrics and short-term political gains, ignore these warnings.

Psychological Drivers: Fear, Tribalism, and the Lust for Power

The human mind, evolved for survival in small groups, is easily manipulated by narratives of us-versus-them. Political elites exploit this primal wiring to sow division and consolidate power. Leaders in countries like Ethiopia politicize ethnic identity and frame conflict as zero-sum in order to perpetuate violence and maintain control. Power becomes a drug, and peace an obstacle. Without profound psychological and cultural transformation, conflict resolution efforts will remain superficial and short-lived (Galtung, 1996).

A Call for Global Reconstitution: What Must Be Done

1. Reform the United Nations

Create a democratically accountable global council that includes non-state actors—scientists, ethicists, indigenous leaders, and civil society—alongside national representatives. Empower it to address the root causes of conflict and planetary degradation.

2. Dismantle the Inequality Machine

Tax extreme wealth. Regulate monopolies. Abolish secrecy jurisdictions and offshore havens. Reinvest in universal education, healthcare, and public infrastructure globally. Make the economy serve people, not the reverse.

3. Redefine Development and Progress

Shift from GDP to multidimensional well-being indicators prioritizing equity, sustainability, and psychological flourishing (Raworth, 2017). Recognize that economic growth without justice is morally bankrupt and ecologically ruinous.

4. Build a New Humanism

Cultivate a planetary identity rooted in empathy, humility, and shared vulnerability. Promote curricula that teach systems thinking, moral reasoning, and ecological literacy from an early age.

5. Forge Binding Global Ethics

Codify international laws that protect the commons—oceans, atmosphere, forests—and fundamental human rights to dignity, education, water, and peace. Enforce them with integrity, not favoritism.

6. Rein in Predatory Capitalism

Hold corporations accountable for environmental and social harm, especially in conflict zones. End the impunity of war profiteers and resource cartels. Create a global framework for ethical business rooted in transparency and justice.

7. Ignite Civic Awakening

Encourage grassroots movements that reclaim democracy from oligarchy. Support independent media, community organizing, and cross-border solidarity initiatives. Systemic change must be people-led, not elite-managed.

Conclusion: A Fork in Humanity's Path

We are living at a civilizational inflection point. The confluence of moral erosion, ecological collapse, and elite impunity threatens peace and human survival. Suppose international relations continue to be guided by profit rather than principle, minerals rather than morality. In that case, we will descend into a world where the weak perish and the powerful self-destruct.

However, there is another way. A global order based on care, justice, and interdependence is not naïve—it is necessary. Philosophy teaches us to seek truth. Science teaches us to understand systems. Democracy teaches us to respect the will of the people. Religion teaches us to love the vulnerable. If these traditions cannot save us together, then nothing will.

We must no longer ask: "What can we extract?" but "What must we protect?"

We must no longer ask: "What serves us?" but "What serves life?"

References (Available Upon Request)