CHANGE IS COMING: IDEOLOGY AFFINITY AMONG THE AXIS OF UPHEAVAL CONSISTING OF CHINA, RUSSIA, IRAN, AND NORTH KOREA

Abstract

Following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, scholars have debated the growing cooperation between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea that some have dubbed the “Axis of Upheaval.” Many observers have argued that these countries do not share an ideology and are solely united by shared animosity towards the United States. This study challenges these observations and demonstrates the existence of a shared ideology between the Axis of Upheaval consisting of support for multipolarity, anti-imperialism, and viewing the world through a civilizational lens. Using a mixed method approach, this study conducts a quantitative analysis of speeches by the leaders of the Axis of Upheaval, namely Xi Jinping of China, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Ali Khamenei of Iran, and Kim Jong-un of North Korea. It also conducts case studies of state-controlled media coverage across the Axis of conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. The results demonstrated consistent rhetoric and emphasis on ideologies of multipolarity, anti-imperialism, and civilizationism. The study further revealed that state-controlled media in China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea interpret global events the same way, further suggesting the existence of ideologically driven narratives. Meanwhile, a comparative analysis with speeches by former U.S. President Joe Biden and American mainstream media reveals ideological division between the United States and the Axis of Upheaval. These findings challenge observations that the Axis of Upheaval is purely bound by opposition to the United States and not ideology. These findings also challenge the assertion that the conflict between the United States and countries like China and Russia is not ideological