Brussels Forum Views

For the first time, Brussels Forum featured a theme connecting the different discussions that took place during the conference. 'The Fragility of the Global System' was meant to address the interconnectedness of today’s world and the vulnerability of various aspects of the international order: the global economy, stability and security, governance, values, and the environment.

Fragility does not necessarily have to be pessimistic or negative. Rather, the term is meant more as a commentary on how precarious things are, how past patterns of behavior and past solutions are either not up to the task for today’s fast-paced, dynamic, interconnected environment or require a completely different means of thinking, approach, and resolution. Moreover, if something is considered fragile, it can either break under the application of pressure or it can be reinforced and readjusted to prevent such an outcome. The following essays — published together as Brussels Forum Views — are meant to capture various aspects of global fragility. The authors are leading policymakers, German Marshall Fund experts, and others from across the transatlantic community. The objective of publishing these views is to reinforce and reflect discussions at Brussels Forum on why certain situations are fragile, the degree to which localized failures can lead to systemic global challenges, and what can be done — if anything — to ensure that fragile situations do not result in outright breakage.