The Triangle of Power
Key Data
- Author: Alexander Stubb
- Published: 2026
- Purchase link: here
- Finished reading on: 23.07.2026
Content
The book traces the rise and decline of the liberal world order and recommends a constructive path forward.
Why Did I Read It?
For me, Alexander Stubb, as the President of Finland, is one of the most impressive leaders in Europe. I see him as the only Western leader besides Mark Carney who has a deep understanding of geopolitics and a clear vision for the future. I watched 2 of his interviews, which got me interested, and when I saw his book, I practically had to buy it.
Thoughts After Finishing It
I'm once again impressed by the author and saddened that I don't see many of his counterparts being able to formulate such well-informed, coherent, self-aware answers to the fundamental questions of current geopolitics. It just shows in the casual references he makes to world events, history, and current influential thinkers. I'm certainly persuaded by the main thrust of his thesis, though I'm less optimistic about the future.
Main Takeaways
Note: The book is incredibly nuanced, and Mr. Stubb is a master at hedging statements. I'm going to try to repeat his points in a more basic way, but if you see a huge flaw or big exception to these arguments, they're either addressed later in this review or very likely in the book itself.
- The world is roughly divided into 3 spheres:
- the global West, traditionally centered around the USA and Europe (while countries like Japan, Australia, and Taiwan are also part of it), which are the main winners of the post-Cold War world order. They are typically characterized by a strong commitment to democracy, human rights, and international law (particularly the right of self-determination).
- the global East, consisting of the main rivals of the West, headed by China, with a lot of transactional allies in Russia, Iran, North Korea, Belarus, ... . They are very opposed to Western hegemony, usually dictatorships, and interested in creating a multipolar world order, where great powers get spheres of influence.
- the global South, a loose bundle of countries that are vying for a better position on the world stage. They are open to cooperation with both the global West and East and see themselves as the defenders of their national interests only. Broadly speaking, they also have big criticisms of the post-Cold War world order, chiefly that they have disproportionately low decision-making power when compared with Western countries.
- There is a crucial distinction between multipolarity and multilateralism:
- Multipolarity, as championed by the global East, sees great powers as the main decision-makers that divide the world into their spheres of influence. Conflicts are navigated primarily through bilateral deals.
- Multilateralism is the idea that all countries should agree to a common set of rules, e.g. the UN Charter. These rules should be negotiated in and enforced by strong international institutions. Under these rules, each country retains its right to self-determination, but is also included in a structure where conflict is avoided and cooperation is rewarded.
- The West blew its chance to create a stable multilateral world order after the end of the Cold War. Most countries in the global South now see the institutions and rules as cynical plots for power that get ignored anyway when it's in the interest of the West. They have little decision-making power in the UN, WTO, IMF and are annoyed by Western leaders lecturing them about democracy and human rights while also engaging in wars of aggression (Iraq, Afghanistan).
- This, combined with the efforts of the global East and the democratic crises in the West, has led to a gradual erosion of that power, characterized by more bilateral cooperation, renewed wars of aggression, and protectionist trade policies.
- The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a turning point that shows that erosion. A nuclear power with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council illegally invading a neighboring country is the clearest possible demonstration of Russia's intent to fully dismantle the multilateral order.
- Currently, the options are a continued erosion of the multilateral system, a full collapse of it, or a substantial reform.
- That reform has to be focused on swaying the global South toward the international institutions.
- The multilateral system is desperately needed to avoid conflict and foster international cooperation on the main problems humanity is facing, like climate change, technological development, and demography.
- The reform can only arise out of Western leaders practicing values-based realism and mutual respect. Values-based realism refers to an adherence to universal values like human rights and international law, while remaining conscious and considerate of the uniqueness of your counterpart and respecting their individual historical and cultural aspects. The most important part of that is to step outside the preachy moralizing and instead be respectful and level-headed.
- Some of the first concrete steps toward this reform are an overhaul of the UN Security Council.
- Expand the permanent council to 10 seats and add 2 African and 2 Latin American countries. Also expand the rotating seats to 20.
- Abolish the veto.
- Have a mechanism for removing members that violated the UN Charter.
- Some of the first concrete steps toward this reform are an overhaul of the UN Security Council.
Criticisms
- As the author himself acknowledges, it is currently impossible to talk about the US as a stable part of the global West. Under Donald Trump, it behaves more like a country of the global East, attacking international institutions and disrespecting the right to self-determination. While that is lightly touched on in the book, it is downplayed heavily.
- I'm absolutely not as optimistic about the future as Mr. Stubb, who thinks that it's possible to reform the multilateral order enough that it will survive. I don't see that being the case without the US at the helm of the West and with no country seriously stepping up to fill that void.