State-Based Conflict: What It Is, How It Shapes Global Power, and Why It Matters

When we talk about state-based conflict, a struggle between nations or governments over power, resources, or ideology. Also known as interstate conflict, it doesn't always mean bullets flying—it’s often hidden in trade deals, sanctions, vaccine access, and who gets to lead global summits like the G20 Johannesburg Summit. This isn’t ancient history. Right now, the BRICS influence is reshaping global power, challenging old alliances, and forcing countries like the UK to rethink their place in the world. The G20’s shift toward BRICS leadership isn’t just a meeting change—it’s a signal that state-based conflict is moving from battlefields to boardrooms and climate negotiations.

And it’s not just happening overseas. The same forces driving global power shifts are hitting homes in London. When energy bills stay high, wages don’t rise, and housing vanishes, people aren’t just struggling—they’re being pushed into survival mode. That’s state-based conflict at the local level: when government decisions, or the lack of them, directly harm citizens. The UK cost of living crisis isn’t random bad luck—it’s the result of policy choices made by those in power, often under pressure from global economic tensions. Meanwhile, the NHS vs US healthcare debate isn’t just about hospitals—it’s about whether a country values its people’s lives enough to fund them equally. The UK spends half what the US does and gets better outcomes. That’s a political decision. A state-based one.

These aren’t separate stories. The same systems that let one nation dominate climate talks also decide who gets vaccines, who pays for housing, and who gets sick because care is too expensive. What you read in the news about the latest COVID variant, the Tube cyberattack, or the closure of a maternity ward? All of it connects back to who holds power, how they use it, and who gets left behind. Below, you’ll find real stories from across London and the world that show exactly how state-based conflict plays out—in headlines, in hospitals, and on street corners. No theory. No fluff. Just what’s happening, why it matters, and who’s paying the price.