One Piece taught me how to interpret the structures of the world order

Before we talk about the topic, I’d like to issue a spoiler warning: If you’ve just started watching One Piece and haven’t yet reached episode 885, it’s better not to read this article. Instead, enjoy the moment and experience the entire storyline for yourself. Look forward to when this masterpiece reaches its peak.

While many see One Piece as just another Shonen series, few truly recognize the importance and brilliance of the manga and anime.

Yes, One Piece captivates with humor, female allure, stunning effects, great storylines, and iconic, pop culture-inspired designs. But what One Piece truly conveys is a reflection of how the world order in our own world functions.

The World Order in the One Piece Universe

The World Government in One Piece is the central power structure, comprised of various kingdoms. This structure reminds me of organizations like the UN, G7, G20, or NATO, which regularly convene to make decisions aimed at securing peace and trade among nations.

The World Government acts like powerful countries in our real world - such as the United States, China, or former colonial nations. They try to control other countries' business and decisions to stay powerful themselves.

Above all stand the so-called World Nobles. They live privileged lives, immune to the law and untouchable. If they believe someone should be punished, the executive branch (the Marines) carries out the order without question or hesitation.

Beyond these powers, there are, of course, other factions and splinter groups, just like in the real world. One prominent example is the Revolutionary Army, whose explicit goal is to overthrow the World Government and change the world order. They possess knowledge that most people in the One Piece world are unaware of.

Moreover, the One Piece universe reflects many of the problems we face in our own world. Issues like illegal arms deals, criminal organizations, illicit technologies, severe inequality between rich and poor, and imperialism.

These issues don’t always operate beneath the radar of the World Government; in fact, the elites often allow such things to happen because they know intervention could endanger their own power or because the World Government itself would face more problems if they got involved.

The last and perhaps most important faction is the Pirates. Pirates strive for freedom, parties, and friendships, and they fight against oppression – whether consciously or unconsciously. They constantly seek out confrontation with power and uncover more details and knowledge that threaten the status quo of the world order. This is why the Marines place bounties on pirates as their threat level grows. Money, as in the real world, is also a critical tool in One Piece used to pit people against each other.

The Shadow Government

In OP, every year, the kings of the kingdoms come together at the world conference to debate decisions affecting the world. The public is led to believe that they jointly govern the earth, but this is only half true.

Above this structure, there is a shadow government led by the so-called Five Elders and Im-sama. This individual sits on the throne of the world, which is publicly believed to be empty, but in reality, is occupied by Im-sama.

If you keep watching after episode 885, the structure and interests of this shadow government will unfold for the reader and viewer. Throughout the manga and anime, there are recurring instances of people searching for the Poneglyphs, the ancient weapons, the One Piece, or special Devil Fruits.

One of the central mysteries in One Piece revolves around the Void Century, a 100-year period that took place 800 years before the current events and has been systematically erased from history by the World Government. During this time, a powerful Ancient Kingdom existed, which possibly fought for freedom and justice but was ultimately destroyed by the ancestors of today’s World Government. This government, led by the Celestial Dragons, has since established its power and does everything in its control to keep the knowledge of the Ancient Kingdom, the Poneglyphs, and the ancient weapons hidden. At the top is the mysterious figure Im-sama, who, alongside the Five Elders, tightly controls the world order to protect their truth and maintain their rule. Pirates like Monkey D. Luffy threaten this system as they actively seek the One Piece and the revelation of these secrets.

The world order in One Piece works precisely because the World Government and the Celestial Dragons maintain their power through censorship, oppression, and the manipulation of history. They have strictly forbidden access to the Poneglyphs and any information about the Void Century and use the Marines and other instruments to ensure that no one uncovers the truth.

Conclusion

One Piece has taught me that the world is not black or white, but gray. A pirate – from the perspective of the World Government and the "good guys" someone considered evil – is not inherently bad, and a good character, such as someone from the Marines, is not inherently "good" and might even pursue the same goals as a pirate.

For example, Luffy always stands up for the oppressed and weak, without making any distinctions between whether a person is rich or poor or what their background is. He accepts everyone for who they are.

And a blind Marine admiral, despite his lack of sight, has incredible insight into the world’s power structure and its corruption. He refuses to accept that the Marines should play "God" and even frees people from slavery, despite this being strictly forbidden by the Celestial Dragons.

Those at the very top, who control the world order, are the same ones who benefit from the system of oppression and would lose their status and wealth if the world order were to change.

I believe that a certain level of poverty is intentionally maintained by the global elite so that money can continue to be used as a tool to manipulate or eliminate enemies of the system through intermediaries. I think the elites of this world are not even remotely interested in providing everyone with a prosperous life. In the One Piece world, bounties only work because people betray each other, driven by materialism, even though they often know better.

Although the status quo and the world elite surrounding the shadow government – whether it exists or not – are considered unbeatable, I believe that we ourselves can be the change that brings this system down.

One of the most important tools for this is freedom and self-determination. Regardless of society’s rules and expectations, one should always keep an open mind to different perspectives, ideas, and possibilities of how the world can function.

Friendship and unity are equally important. A revolution can never be won or implemented alone. To gain followers, one must offer people something of value, and I think the best way to do that is by showing kindness, as Luffy does. Not for personal gain, but simply because it’s the honorable thing to do.

Tolerance ist also an important aspect. In One Piece, humans, fishmen, giants, and many other groups with different cultures CAN coexist. This shows that a "plurality" can be valuable and that mutual respect is important, despite differences between peoples. It's worth noting that media and certain individuals sometimes produce inflammatory content that can create tensions between different groups. We should be cautious about adopting an overly simplistic worldview where everything is black and white, good or evil. There are often shades of gray. Not every fishman is automatically bad or lesser, but that doesn't mean a fishman can't also be a problematic individual in this world.

The two most important lessons are that one should always question authorities, power structures, and news from the media, and not automatically believe what is presented. Who was responsible for 9/11? Who blew up the Nord Stream pipeline? Were there weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? And why was Assange imprisoned? According to Western media, these cases were clear, especially when these events were current. Today, far fewer people believe the official government explanations. But imagine if everyone had simply accepted the reports as they were presented back then, and we continued to believe these false narratives – the puppet show with us as the main characters would go on and on. We should always – at least consider – that power structures and governments are capable of doing inhumane things and going to extreme lengths to maintain their power.

And what sounds like a lesson from kindergarten: never give up. A central theme in One Piece is perseverance, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. No matter how hopeless it seems to change the world order (although we should also consider that the current world order might possibly be an ideal state), I still firmly believe that it can be changed through mass awareness.

Pirates are evil? The Marines are righteous? These terms have always changed throughout the course of history! Kids who have never seen peace and kids who have never seen war have different values! Those who stand at the top determine what's wrong and what's right! This very place is neutral ground! Justice will prevail, you say? But of course it will! Whoever wins this war becomes justice!”

― Donquixote Doflamingo