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New World Order

Definition

A term used primarily by politicians and analysts during the late Cold War and early post-Cold War era referring to an idealistic vision for global governance where peace and cooperation would prevail over conflict.

Analogy

Imagine if all your classmates decided to stop fighting over who gets what resources or who is more popular, instead choosing to cooperate for everyone’s benefit. That’s kind of like what people hoped for with the New World Order.

Related terms

Cold War: A period of geopolitical tension between powers in the Eastern Bloc (the Soviet Union and its satellite states) and powers in the Western Bloc (the United States, its NATO allies).

Globalization: The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale.

United Nations (UN): An intergovernmental organization aiming at promoting international cooperation and creating/maintaining international order; often associated with efforts towards a New World Order.