As of March 2025, tariff war between America&Canada has escalated. America’s long term policy “America first”is aseveral decades long policy of American nation, no change in it,despite changes in leadership. Canada never announced Canada first policy. Canada’s tariff increment plan on American goods and businesses is reciprocative only. For too long, the world has been conditioned to listen when America speaks, to follow when it leads, and to adjust when it shifts its priorities. “America first” doctrine has not only shaped Washington’s policies but has also forced almost all nations to accept it’s writ – a global order where one country dictates and the rest react. This is what has been and is being practised by Washington. If the world is to move forward, it must breakout from the shackles of “America first” notion and embrace a future where power is distributed, where every nation stands as an equal, and where collective progress outweighs the ambitions of a single state. History has shown us that true global leadership does not come from imposing will upon others but from fostering an environment where nations thrive together. When Prophet Muhammad (SAW) laid the foundation of Riyasat-e-Madina, it was not built on conquest or coercion but on justice, equality, and shared prosperity. There was no Madina first policy; every community was treated with fairness, and governance was decentralized, ensuring that no single entity dictated the course of others. This principle extended through the rein of Khulafa-e-Rashideen and even the Ottoman Empire, where regional autonomy flourished, allowing different societies to grow without subjugation. Trade, scholarship, and innovation thrived—not because one power dominated the rest, but because a system was in place that allowed all to rise together. The modern world, by contrast, has abandoned this wisdom, shackling itself to a system where the interests of one nation override the well-being of all others.
“True leadership does not come from dictating terms but from creating a system where no nation is subjugated, where progress is collective, and where the fate of the world is not tied to the ambitions of a single power. The time has come to move beyond “America first”. The future must be World first.”
The American-led world order has been built on the premise that Washington’s interests are synonymous with global stability. Yet time and again, history has proved otherwise. Military interventions in the name of democracy have left regions in ruins, economic sanctions have devastated entire populations, and diplomatic strong-arming has reduced sovereign nations to mere extensions of American policy. While several nations succumbed and lost sovereignty, Canada is resistant and tall. Meanwhile, when the world faces collective crises—whether it be climate change, economic inequality, or global pandemics—America only engages when its own interests are directly at stake. It withdraws from international agreements when they no longer serve its agenda, dictates financial terms that benefit its corporations, and punishes nations that dare to seek independence from its influence. The result is a world that is not governed by fairness or cooperation but by fear—fear of economic retribution, fear of political isolation, and fear of military intervention. Many nations, whether out of dependence or intimidation, have fallen into the pattern of aligning with Washington even when doing so undermines their own people. Pakistan, for instance, has often found itself caught in this web, adjusting its policies to fit American strategic interests rather than charting an independent course that serves its own long-term stability. But Pakistan is not alone. Across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and even Europe, leaders continue to shape their economic and foreign policies around Washington’s expectations, sacrificing their autonomy in the process. Those who resist face economic warfare—crippling sanctions, manipulated currency markets, and exclusion from global financial systems controlled by American institutions. This is not partnership; this is coercion. But the world is no longer bound by the limitations of the past. The 21st century demands a shift—a rejection of the outdated hierarchy where one nation’s ambitions dictate the fate of others. A truly multipolar world is not an abstract ideal; it is a necessity. Sovereign nations must reclaim their right to independent policymaking, ensuring that their people, not Washington’s priorities, determine their future. Regional alliances must be strengthened, creating economic and security frameworks that are not reliant on American-led institutions. The dominance of the U.S. dollar, which gives Washington disproportionate control over global trade, must be challenged through alternative financial systems that prevent any one nation from holding the world’s economy hostage. This is not a call for hostility toward the United States. It is a call for balance. America, like any other nation, has the right to pursue its own interests—but not at the cost of global equity. The world must stop waiting for Washington’s approval, stop adjusting its course to fit American strategies, and stop accepting a global structure that benefits one at the expense of many. True leadership does not come from dictating terms but from creating a system where no nation is subjugated, where progress is collective, and where the fate of the world is not tied to the ambitions of a single power. The time has come to move beyond “America first”. The future must be World first.
(The author a freelancer is a teacher and a researcher based in Gowhar Pora Chadoora is also Advisor at The Nature University Kashmir. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
Dr. Ashraf Zainabi
