The 21st century is no longer defined merely by globalization but by the emergence of a planetary civilization. In this essay, I explore Kishore Mahbubani’s concept of “One World” and the logic of global convergence through geopolitics, technology, economics, and human aspiration. Drawing from The Great Convergence, Has the West Lost It?, and Has China Won?, this analysis examines how climate change, artificial intelligence, global finance, and digital networks have transformed humanity into an interconnected system. However, the planetary era also introduces new challenges: cognitive warfare, algorithmic manipulation, pseudo-global interests, and unequal structures of power. The future question is no longer whether humanity will live in One World, but what kind of One World will emerge — one shaped by shared civilization or by new forms of invisible domination.
One World in the Planetary Era: Kishore Mahbubani, Global Convergence, and the Future of Civilization
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