Abstract
The paper seeks to make a contribution towards a better understanding of the current
global political unrest. It argues that this unrest reflects ongoing tensions between
hierarchical and non-hierarchical interactions. It also argues that the opposition between
hierarchical and non-hierarchical interactions is not ontological but rather is rooted in
the way we approach reality and is, therefore, subject to our control. The tendency to
exclude the process of construction from our frame of vision is characteristic for the
view of reality that is dominant in our civilization. Contemporary theoretical perspectives
that include, but are not limited to, systems theory, complexity theory, theory of
self-organization, emergence theory and autopoiesis have much to offer in addressing
and resolving this problem. The paper outlines some general organizing principles that
should be part of this solution.