Power Over Principle. How Bullying Shapes the New World Order

✒️:. Ikkz Ikbal
Sahipora, Qaziabad, Kashmir

Sometimes it feels as if we are no longer living in a civilized world, but in a refined jungle—one where law survives only in books, justice lives in speeches, and humanity is reduced to slogans. The reality we witness every day is far less poetic. It is raw power, naked and unapologetic, unwilling to listen to reason, allergic to ethics, and completely unashamed of violating international norms. There seems to be only one guiding principle left: might is right.

In such a world, asking for justice often feels like appealing to a well-armed bully to behave ethically. He does not argue. He simply smiles—and tightens his grip on the weapon.

We were taught that the state exists to protect its citizens, that governments are formed to serve the people, and that global institutions were created to give voice to the weak. Over time, however, these ideas have been reduced to chapters in old textbooks—read aloud in classrooms, quoted in conferences, but rarely practiced in real life.

Gradually, the world appears to be slipping out of the hands of principles, laws, and morality, and into the control of bullies. Powerful nations and those sitting in positions of authority no longer see themselves as subjects of law, but as its owners. Their duty was to deliver justice; instead, they issue verdicts through guns, sanctions, threats, and coercion.

Governments that were meant to provide security have themselves become symbols of fear. Justice is no longer weighed in courtrooms, but negotiated in corridors of power. And when the state itself adopts the language of intimidation, where does an ordinary citizen go to seek refuge?no

The irony is bitter. The same silent citizen is later reminded that democracy is under threat, that the state is weakening, and that the nation demands sacrifice. History tells us, however, that sacrifice is always made by the people—while its rewards are quietly collected by the powerful.

A glance at the world map reveals tragedy at every few miles. Somewhere, governments point guns at their own people. Elsewhere, global powers turn weaker nations into testing grounds. In some places, economic sanctions are imposed in the name of reform; in others, bombs are dropped in the name of peace. Elected voices are silenced under the banner of democracy itself.

The logic of our time is strangely convenient. When the powerful attack, it is called defense. When the weak try to protect themselves, it becomes a crime. When the powerful violate the law, it is labeled strategy. When the weak ask questions, it is condemned as instability.

International law today resembles an aging teacher—respected in theory, ignored in practice. Global forums host lengthy speeches, resolutions are passed, statements of concern are issued, and then… life goes on exactly as before. The only difference is that the list of the oppressed grows longer, while the headlines change.

We have entered an era where even oppression needs marketing. Every act of aggression is wrapped in attractive terminology, every killing is provided a justification, and every destruction is assigned a “higher purpose.” Truth is packaged so carefully that even it fails to recognize itself.

In this entire spectacle, the most tragic figure is the ordinary human being—the one who pays taxes, follows the law, stands patiently in queues, and still wanders from door to door seeking justice. He is told to be patient; the system will improve. He waits, and the system worsens. Then he is advised to remain silent—for the sake of the nation. He obeys, and slowly the nation shrinks into the hands of a few.

I have personally seen simple people spend years moving between courtrooms, clinging to the hope that one day the law will awaken. But when the law wakes up, it often knocks on the doors of the powerful. For the weak, the law appears tired—buried under files, lost in dates, exhausted by delays.

In today’s world, wealth alone is no longer a guarantee of survival. The true safeguard is strong defense. History bears witness that nations with abundant resources but weak defenses have often survived only at the mercy of others. Modern power is measured not by bank balances, but by military strength, technology, intelligence, and self-reliance in defense. Weak states rarely remain safe in such a ruthless global order.

Unfortunately, we now live in a world where morality is viewed as weakness, and those who stand by principles are dismissed as unrealistic. “Practical wisdom” today teaches submission: keep your head down, ask no questions, and accept everything as destiny. Yet history repeatedly shows that destiny often changes in the hands of those who question—not those who remain silent.

Those who consider themselves above the law speak most passionately about law. Those who have murdered justice present themselves as its champions. And those who run the world through bullying deliver lectures on peace. Perhaps this is what modern politics looks like.

The question is not why injustice exists—oppression has always existed. The real question is whether we have begun to accept it as normal. Have we agreed that power is everything? Have we accepted that justice is only meant for slogans? Have we grown so tired that even truth feels burdensome? If so, then yes—this world truly is in the hands of bullies.

But if somewhere a pen is still writing the truth, if a voice still dares to question, if a conscience remains restless—then hope is not entirely lost.
History follows a simple rule: bullies may dominate the present, but they rarely remain heroes of history. Those who speak the truth, however, are often proven right with time. The world may be intoxicated by power today, but in the end, accountability is always demanded—if not by courts, then by the pages of history itself.

The author is the Principal of Maryam Memorial Institute, Pandithpora, Qaziabad.
📧 Email: ikkzikbal@gmail.com