In recent years, the Western public discussion has been full of laments over the collapse of the so-called rules-based international order established in the aftermath of World War II. Some blame Russian President Vladimir Putin; others blame U.S. President Donald Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Indeed, all these individuals have contributed significantly to the disintegration of the global order.

Outside of the West, however, concerns about the hypocrisy and double standards of the postwar international order are nothing new. Indeed, leaders of postcolonial countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East consistently castigated the self-serving nature of this order from the moment of its inception.

In recent years, the Western public discussion has been full of laments over the collapse of the so-called rules-based international order established in the aftermath of World War II. Some blame Russian President Vladimir Putin; others blame U.S. President Donald Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Indeed, all these individuals have contributed significantly to the disintegration of the global order.

Outside of the West, however, concerns about the hypocrisy and double standards of the postwar international order are nothing new. Indeed, leaders of postcolonial countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East consistently castigated the self-serving nature of this order from the moment of its inception.

Not only did these states chafe at this order, however, but they also attempted to offer an alternative vision. One of the most famous attempts came with the 1955 Asian-African Conference, widely known as the Bandung Conference. It represented the global south countries’ quest for agency in international affairs, offering a powerful critique of the emerging global order and an alternative vision grounded in a more egalitarian set of values.

Today, middle powers from outside the Western world are again demanding a greater voice in global politics. In expressing their dissatisfaction with the international order, they have often echoed Bandung’s rhetoric and tone. But they have put less emphasis on the principles that were central to the conference’s global vision. To succeed where Bandung failed and have a greater impact on global politics, middle powers must revive values of the Bandung Conference to rebuild a more just and enduring international order.

Thousands of Indonesians crowd the street trying to catch a glimpse of delegates to the conference as they pass in a motorcade in Bandung, Indonesia, in April 1955.Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

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