Anger shapes global politics in 2026

The geopolitical developments of 2026, particularly in the Middle East and other regions, have highlighted the significant role of emotions, especially anger, in international relations. Over the past two decades, a series of political violence, transnational terrorism, popular uprisings, and movements of indignation have deeply fractured the international order.

New forms of global conflict emerge

Alongside ongoing armed insurrections, the rise of populism, the return of offensive nationalism, the hardening of authoritarianism, hatred of the "Other," and endless civil wars have further complicated the global landscape. These dynamics are compounded by social grievances, both old and new, and the emergence of new forms of digital hostility.

Anger as a geopolitical force

The emotion of anger, as discussed in the book The geopolitics of anger: from happy globalization to the great anger, first published in 2020 and updated in 2024, has become increasingly intense and deeply linked to current geopolitical transformations. Anger affects all territories and reshapes socio-political, economic, identity, and cultural power relations.

Anger intensifies global rivalries

In 2026, the world is witnessing an exacerbation of power rivalries, a fragmentation of norms, and a multiplication of high-intensity conflicts. In this context, anger serves as a decisive emotion for states, societies, and transnational actors. It is not merely background noise but a strategic instrument that helps explain sudden military escalations and the formation of unexpected coalitions.

Anger's historical and psychological roots

Anger is distinguished by its teleological dimension, targeting perceived injustices and implying a desire for redress or punishment, making it particularly inflammable in geopolitics. The term "anger" emerged relatively late in the French language, with "ire" previously preferred. Psychology classifies it among the "primary" emotions, found in all spheres of existence and at the heart of many geopolitical developments.

Global context fuels anger

The global context of 2026 seems conducive to anger, which has accompanied the upheavals of the 20th century but has changed in scale with the entry into the second millennium. The era of illusions, including the belief that globalization would bring collective happiness, appears to have passed. While globalization remains associated with openness, emancipation, and hope for many, anger has become pervasive, insinuated into political interstices, geographical fractures, the renunciations of elites, and transversal issues like climate change.

Anger in state rivalries

No space is immune to this "angry backlash," marked by rising inequalities, the multiplication of social movements, feelings of exclusion, rejection of current governments, various forms of discrimination, and the spread of hostilities. Anger has become a key emotional marker of societies, revealing deep tensions in the globalized world.

Rivalry and anger in major powers

Geopolitical rivalries between states are crystallizing through this emotion. Tensions between the United States, China, and Russia have intensified over the years. American anger is directed at the challenge to its leadership in commercial, technological, and military domains. Chinese anger is rooted in the memory of the "century of humiliations" and contemporary disputes, such as those over Taiwan and the South China Sea. Russian anger is fueled by a narrative of encirclement, legitimizing an aggressive foreign policy and the militarization of Moscow's relations with the rest of the world.