Ahead of a planned strike on New Year's Eve, Shaik Salauddin, founder-president of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), has called for the removal of the 10-minute delivery option from all food and grocery platforms offering the service.About 170
Agastya Nanda is currently gearing up for the release of his film, Ikkis. Helmed by the National Award-winning filmmaker Sriram Raghavan, Ikkis shares the inspiring story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal – India's youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra. Recently
GUJCET 2026: The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSEB) has extended the application process for the Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GUJCET) 2026. The registration window which was slated to close on December 30 will now remain open till January 6
The Farakka Water Treaty was crafted during a phase of relative warmth in India–Bangladesh relations. Both sides sought to resolve long-standing disputes over the Farakka Barrage, constructed by India to divert Ganga waters into the Hooghly River to sustain Kolkata Port
The National Weather Service has warned that there could be rain at the Rose Parade in Southern California for the first time in 20 years. The iconic New Year's Day event attracts thousands of spectators. Millions of others watch it on TV. Forecasters have also shared an update on the weather
View: ‘The West’ is near death. It’s also worth fighting for
The West, a concept historically defined by market democracies and Enlightenment ideals, faces an existential crisis. Donald Trump's "protection racket" worldview and rising far-right populism threaten its core values. Historian Georgios Varouxakis traces the West's origins to the 1821 Greek War of Independence, emphasizing its geopolitical roots and evolving identity, urging its preservation against nationalist hijacking.
“The West” is a club on life support, skewered on the lance of Donald Trump's Hobbesian view of the world as a series of protection rackets carved up by countries strong enough to command a seat at the table. With America's traditional allies now part of the buffet, this seismic development begs a question: Is the West worth saving, and can it be?
As a concept, the West has always been frustratingly vague and slippery. So much so that at various times and publications of my journalistic career, editorial fatwas were issued against its use. It can't be determined by geography, because it also includes parts of the East. It can't be just NATO, or a Christian club, for similar reasons. And yet, none of those editorial bans stuck. The term soon squirrelled its way back into use, because there was no substitute. It was too useful as a shorthand description of a tribe of market democracies that readers and writers alike understood to exist.
I don't recognize the exclusively Christian, race-based Western civilization described in the new US National Security Strategy, or in the deeply disingenuous sermons of US Vice President JD Vance. Neither does Georgios Varouxakis, an historian of political thought at London's Queen Mary University. I reached out to him because in July he published . It's a book that does a valuable — meaning document-based and non-ideological — job of debunking some of the most common theories about when and how this entity arose.
So, no, the West doesn't stretch back to ancient Greece, because the ancient Greeks never mentioned it, or conceived of it. Nor was it, as some on the left believe, conjured up in the late 19th century by imperialists as a helpful, dog-whistling tool to legitimize their colonial exploitation of other, non-white, races. The idea appeared earlier and its most vocal proponents were passionate anti-imperialists. But the West also has been subject to constant reinterpretation, and right now, it's getting highjacked amid the culture wars.
“Don't leave it to them,” Varouxakis told me, as we discussed the Trump administration's assaults on Europe. “Don't allow them to own the term, they don't own the term. Western civilization does not mean white supremacism.” What defines the West can change, of course, if enough far right populists gain power in the countries that belong to it. But if that happens, it's also doubtful that either the West or its major institutions — primarily the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization — could long survive the toxic nationalism such a shift would bring.
The first recorded articulations of the West as a political identity came around the time of the 1821-1829 Greek War of Independence, Varouxakis told me. Until then, the Ottoman Empire had been Europe's most worrying threat. So, when people wanted to talk about their collective otherness and defense against the Ottomans, they'd speak of Christendom, or of Europe.
Now Greece was breaking free from three centuries of subjugation within the Ottoman Empire, because the Sultans and their armies had failed to modernize and were growing weak. This was a tumultuous period. Russian troops had briefly occupied Paris in 1814, just a few years earlier. In 1815, Napoleon suffered his final defeat at Waterloo and Russia's emperor, Tsar Alexander I, formed a so-called Holy Alliance with Austria and Prussia. They wanted to promote absolute monarchy and faith against the secular republicanism that in 1812 had taken French troops all the way to Moscow.
Christendom would no longer do as a rallying cry against this emboldened Russia, because unlike the Ottomans, it was Christian too. Europe was no longer adequate either, because the recently established American republic across the Atlantic was a potential ally in promoting the fruits of the enlightenment — separation of Church and state, science, the rule of law and individual rights — against Moscow's absolutism. A common, predominantly Christian culture was part of the formula for this new West, but not of the reductive kind preached by Vance.
This was, as always, ultimately about geopolitics. Russia had partitioned Poland and occupied Finland over the two previous decades. It was looking to snap up territories from the weakening Ottomans, taking Bessarabia (today's Moldova) in 1812, and looking further into the Balkans. Now Moscow's armies were also driving south on the other side of the Black Sea, through the Caucasus, and consolidating their hold on Central Asia, setting off the “Great Game” with Britain for control of the approaches to India.
The man who did most to promote and define the new “West” as a bulwark against this emboldened Russia was the French father of sociology, Auguste Comte. He saw the West as including Latin and Anglo-Saxon Europe, as well as their outposts in the New World. Slavic, yet Catholic Poland, and Orthodox, yet Athenian Greece were special guests. He also included Germans as core members, but that relationship remained fraught until after 1945. Adolf Hitler in particular spoke of “the West” as an encircling enemy, echoing some Russian rhetoric today.
Other French writers and politicians also promoted Greece's inclusion in the new Western club as it struggled to gain independence, because its people had proved willing to fight. By defending themselves they were also defending the rest of Europe, which had grown too soft and decadent to fight for itself, the argument went. At the same time, many members of the Greek elite, educated at European universities, yearned to join the West for their own reasons. They saw it as a path to the kind of tolerant, law-based, secular and technologically advanced society they wanted their country to become.
In fact, Varouxakis told me, “the way people talked of the Greeks exactly 200 years ago is spookily reminiscent of how we speak now about Ukraine.” I'd add that Alexander's bid to push back and reshape Europe in the image of his own conservative values and authoritarian political system has equally strong echoes in Vladimir Putin's actions and rhetoric today.
The desire of Greeks in the early 19th century and Ukrainians today to join the West is testament to the enduring soft power that this fundamentally liberal-democratic idea has had, for all the countless faults and misdeeds of its constituent states. It's probably best thought of as the ideological glue that holds NATO and the EU together. Lose that bond, or try to replace it with a common identity manufactured from extreme nationalism, and it's hard to see not just the West but also the secularism and tolerance that made it attractive surviving.Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
Source: EconomicTimes
Related Posts: PM Modi mourns Khaleda Zia’s death West Bengal polls important Trump, top aides asked Netanyahu to change policy in occupied West Bank Yogi Govt Heightens Security Ahead Of Anti-Encroachment Drive Near Cemetery West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee demands Shah's resignation for 'failing' to prevent terror attacks BPL 30 Dec matches cancelled after Khaleda Zia’s death Will her death end my exile LDA removes 21 row houses near airport West Bengal 2025 Tripura student death
Yearender 2025: Both houses of Parliament – the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha - functioned for 62 days each across three sessions held in 2025. The Lok Sabha functioned for 80 per cent of its scheduled time, and Rajya Sabha for 83 per cent, according to PRS Legislative Research
1 minutes ago
Delhi this year recorded its most polluted December since 2018, reported The Indian Express on Wednesday. The PM2.5 level averaged 211 micrograms per cubic metre of air during the month. In December 2018, it was 229.3 µg/m3. PM2.5 refers to tiny airborne particulate matter that is about 30
1 minutes ago
Bollywood star Kiara Advani took to Instagram to share a heartfelt round-up of her 2025, posting a series of adorable snapshots that captured both her personal and professional milestones. From candid moments doing mommy duties to glamorous appearances at the Met Gala
1 minutes ago
At the pre-release event of The RajaSaab, director Maruthi stunned fans by doing something no filmmaker usually does. Confident about his film, Maruthi openly shared his home address and assured the audience that The RajaSaab would live up to expectations and deliver a solid entertainer
1 minutes ago
American rapper Yung Gravy has revealed the “dark” method through which he made $400,000 during the Covid pandemic. The rapper — whose real name is Matthew Raymond Hauri — was asked to name his biggest “financial flex” during a conversation with content creator
Just now
A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raising a module of a Pakistan-based terror outfit in Assam to carry out terrorist activities, the National Investigation Agency said on Wednesday (December 31, 2025). Md Kamruj Zaman alias Kamaruddin was awarded three separate punishments under
1 minutes ago
Glenn Phillips stuns with left-handed switch-hit in Super Smash, setting the stage for IPL 2026 impact. New Zealand all-rounder Glenn Phillips delivered one of the most electrifying innings of 2025 in the Super Smash on December 30, switching his stance mid-match to bat left-handed and smashing an
Just now
Congress has raised concerns over Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's claim that China mediated between India and Pakistan. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated that this contradicts India's official position. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify China's role in the resolution of
Just now
As 2025 comes to an end, these heartfelt quotes and wishes help reflect on a year filled with memories, lessons, and personal growth. Share them to say an emotional goodbye and welcome the new year with gratitude and hope. As the final pages of the calendar turn, 2025 comes to an end
Just now
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the CSIR UGC NET December 2025 provisional answer key on December 30. Candidates who appeared for the exam can now download the provisional answer key and their response sheets through the official website, csirnet.nta.ac.in
Just now
The West, a concept historically defined by market democracies and Enlightenment ideals, faces an existential crisis. Donald Trump's "protection racket" worldview and rising far-right populism threaten its core values. Historian Georgios Varouxakis traces the West's origins to the 1821 Greek War of
Just now
Grokipedia is an AI-powered encyclopedia that aims to challenge what Musk calls a “woke” and biased Wikipedia. New Delhi: Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's xAI company has purchased a third building near its existing Memphis sites in the US
Just now
Most women suffer from hormonal imbalance despite cutting back on sugar. According to expert Poornima Peri, even seemingly healthful foods might interfere with hormone function. These typical decisions could be the true causes of mood fluctuations, weight gain, and chronic exhaustion
Just now
January is knocking, and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leaks are starting to get bigger. We have already seen reports highlighting the kind of specifications the phone could offer, the cameras it may feature, and the design it might adopt. Now
Just now
Khaleda Zia's funeral prayer is scheduled for 2 pm today on Manik Mia Avenue at the South Plaza of Bangladesh's National Parliament Building External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Tarique Rahman, acting BNP chairperson and son of former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia, in Dhaka on Wednesday
Just now
If Money Heist, Ocean's 11 and Dhoom ever needed a European spin-off, this might be it. While much of Germany was switched off for Christmas, a group of thieves quietly pulled off a meticulously planned bank break-in that has left customers furious
Just now
Speaking to ANI, Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav said that the entire municipal corporation is reaching out to people in all areas and ensuring that they receive proper care in hospitals. Seven people have died and over 116 others have fallen ill after consuming contaminated drinking water in
Just now
While 2025 was an illustrious year for sport worldwide, we also lost numerous athletes, across disciplines. We take a look at some of the most prominent individuals who breathed their last this year: Thelma Hopkins: Hopkins, the 1956 Melbourne Olympic high jump silver medallist
Just now
As Delhi-NCR prepares to welcome 2026, the city once again slips into its familiar end-of-year rhythm. There will be packed dance floors, traffic snarls outside five-star hotels, and countdown parties engineered to peak at exactly midnight. For many, that is part of the thrill
Just now
Ahead of the new year, the makers of Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups treated fans to a surprise. Before the end of 2025, a new poster from the Yash-starrer has been dropped. Unveiling the first look of actress Nayanthara, the film team introduced her character name as Ganga .Ahead of the new year
1 minutes ago
Kanye West, now known as Ye, has once again ignited a firestorm on social media. On New Year's Eve, the singer-rapper and fashion designer took to Instagram to express his admiration for his wife, Bianca Censori, following her 'Bio Pop' art showcase in Seoul, South Korea
Just now
Two-time Olympic gold medallist Andre De Grasse has been named the international event ambassador for the 21st Tata Mumbai Marathon on January 18. De Grasse, a global athletics icon with seven Olympic medals, will bring his inspiration to the World Athletics Gold Label Race
Just now
Wondering if coconut water is safe in winter? A nutritionist explains when to drink it, its benefits, and offers tips for optimal health. Many people skip coconut water in winter, believing its natural cooling effect might upset the body or trigger colds. In reality
Just now
Drishyam actress Shriya Saran jetted off on a year-end trip with husband Andrei Koscheev and their daughter. Paparazzi videos captured Shriya sharing a sweet family moment at Mumbai airport before boarding their flight. In the video, the actress was seen getting out of her car
1 minutes ago
Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025 and quickly set the tone for a year defined by regular headlines. Within weeks of his election victory and inauguration, the administration rolled out major policy actions, reopened debates over immigration and trade
1 minutes ago
US Sanctions: The US announced fresh sanctions, alleging an illicit weapons trade between Iran and Venezuela, escalating tensions and intensifying scrutiny over global security concerns. US Sanctions: The US administration announced sanctions against 10 entities and individuals based in Iran and
1 minutes ago
Amid the visa crackdown by the Trump administration, certain US immigration fees will rise following an inflation-adjusted update from January 1, 2026, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS stated that the updated fees apply to certain immigration benefits
1 minutes ago
