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US President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden. (AP/Yonhap News)

The US presidential election on Nov. 3 has been described as the most important election in history. Given the critical need for international cooperation on tackling numerous crises, including COVID-19 and climate change, the whole world is watching this election with baited breath.

Public opinion polls continue to show Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden in the lead over Donald Trump. But because of the US’ unique electoral college and Trump’s persistent objections to mail-in ballots, no one can say for certain what the outcome will be. It’s not even possible to predict when the outcome will be determined, and what events may unfold in the days after the election.

Given the extreme polarization of the American political landscape, the defeated candidate’s refusal to accept the results could precipitate pandemonium.

Trump has dodged questions about whether he’ll allow a peaceful transfer of power if he’s defeated, hinting that he might not accept the results of the election. Some media have even reported that Trump is working on a scenario in which he preemptively declares victory if he has an advantage in the vote tally on the evening of the election and treats his reelection as a fait accompli.

Such a rejection of the democratic system of election could cause Biden supporters to take to the streets and end up in armed clashes with Trump supporters. In fact, Trump has excused and incited violence by armed groups and by his supporters. On Oct. 30, a caravan of vehicles driven by Trump supporters threateningly surrounded a Biden campaign bus and rammed another Biden campaign vehicle.

Nevertheless, the significance of this election is greater than ever before. After emerging from the Cold War as the only superpower, the US allowed unchecked globalization to worsen polarization and responded to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks by causing terrible harm both at home and abroad with actions such as the invasion of Iraq.

That led to the election of Trump, who has only accelerated the decline of the US by inciting racism and by handling the pandemic so irresponsibly.

The world has suffered extreme chaos over the past four years because of the Trump administration’s unilateralism. The Trump administration has torn up American promises to the international community, including the Paris climate agreement and the Iran nuclear deal. Furthermore, he has cranked up the conflict with China, hobbled international organizations such as the World Trade Organization, and sent the world hurtling into a leadership vacuum described as “G-Zero.”

This election represents a watershed moment not only for the US but also for the world order. Our hope is that American citizens will shoulder their grave responsibility for paving a path to positive change, rather than to the worst chaos in history.

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