Written by: Mladen Pleše
Photos: Stanislav Milojković
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Serbian scientist and diplomat Dr. Ognjen Pribićević is the author of over sixty scientific papers published in the US, the UK, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Norway, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, and more. He has also published two books. He holds a PhD from the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade and works at the Institute of Social Sciences in Belgrade. He has conducted research at universities and institutes in Oxford, Pittsburgh, and Vienna.
He served as Serbia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2013 to 2017 and to Germany from 2005 to 2009. Pribićević comes from a well-known Belgrade family of scientists and politicians; his father Branko was one of the founders of the Faculty of Political Sciences and a visiting professor at Johns Hopkins University in the United States. His uncle, Novak Pribićević, was a highly successful diplomat in the former Yugoslavia.
In his new book “A Different World – Trump, Brexit, and the War in Ukraine”, he argues that we are living in a time of the greatest changes in the world since the end of World War II. These changes, he claims, are best reflected in the war in Ukraine, new conflicts in the Middle East, Brexit, Trump’s 2016 victory in the U.S. presidential election, and even more so, the violence marking his departure from office in 2020.
The crisis of the left and social democratic parties in Europe, and especially the deep value crisis in the Western world, Russia, and many other countries, also reflect this change. According to Pribićević, this marks the end of the post-Cold War era and the beginning of a new one, which was based on American dominance, faith in progress, and tolerance.
Pribićević admits that he once believed democracy was a goal sought by the majority of humanity. However, he now sees that instead of Francis Fukuyama’s “end of history”, we are experiencing Samuel Huntington’s “clash of civilizations”, with unpredictable consequences for all of humanity.
The world, according to Pribićević, faces three levels of crisis: the collapse of the international order and institutions, and most significantly, the erosion of the value system and human capital, meaning intelligence. Violence within and between states has become a defining feature of our times.
In his book, Pribićević highlights that the European Union is struggling to adapt to the changes taking place, continuing to operate under international rules and values that no longer exist. Despite recent shifts, the ruling elite remains out of touch with citizens’ concerns, particularly regarding migration. The EU also fails to recognize that a new era has arrived, one requiring significant investment in its own defense and security. He compares this to the decadence of ancient Rome.
Pribićević points out that the collapse of the EU’s policies is particularly visible in the Western Balkans, where bureaucratic EU policies have created space for Russia and China to enter the region. The EU lacks a clear strategy or vision for the Balkans, leaving it vulnerable to external influence.
Pribićević believes that our civilization reached its peak in the late 1980s, and since then, we have been in decline. He refers to Edward Gibbon’s “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” to describe this process. The heroes of our time, according to Pribićević, are no longer brilliant inventors, soldiers, astronauts, artists, statesmen, or scientists, but rather entertainers who simply showcase their empty lives. These “characters” send “strong and brutal messages” through the tabloids and social media, shaping the consciousness of the new generation and contributing to what Pribićević calls the collapse of the human mind.
He argues that the time when intellectuals, professors, and scientists influenced public life is almost over. Modern society, which favors superficiality and mediocrity, has devalued education, culture, art, science, and intelligence. Social sciences have been marginalized, reflecting the deep social crisis we are in.
Pribićević finds it remarkable that while new models of phones, cars, and computers appear almost daily, society still operates on ideas that are fifty years old. There is less solidarity and a reduced willingness to make sacrifices for the less fortunate, contributing to the decline of social-democratic parties in Europe.
He warns that the traditional left is either out of power or forced to form coalitions with moderate right-wing parties, as in Germany. The crisis of European social democracy stems from its acceptance of Thatcherism, which allowed it to remain in power but left it without its own ideology or voters.
The book discusses how Trump’s behavior has symbolized the time in which we live. He brought insults and humiliation into politics, and this style has become commonplace. However, Trump is merely a symptom of the crisis, not its cause. Society, especially in the U.S., is deeply polarized on social, racial, ethnic, and other issues.
Pribićević concludes that the world we live in is returning to a “modern medieval” era, marked by declining trust in science, rising violence, and ethnic and religious hostility. As people become fascinated with royalty and magicians, he warns that charlatans and frauds will increasingly come to power.
Finally, he argues that Serbia, given its geographic and political context, has only one option: European integration. While Russia and China offer little beyond energy and infrastructure projects, the true aspirations of the people lie in the West.
In conclusion, Pribićević believes that the unipolar world that emerged after the Cold War is over, and the Western model of society has lost much of its appeal. The future will see conflicts between traditional Asian despotisms and the faltering democracies of the West, with the outcome uncertain at this time.
