The Cold War significantly shaped contemporary political alignments by creating a bipolar world, dominated by the United States and the Soviet Union. This ideological conflict influenced global alliances, with countries aligning themselves according to their political and economic ideologies—democracy and capitalism versus communism. The end of the Cold War led to the emergence of new nations and a shift toward globalization, impacting international relations and current conflicts. Today, many political alignments still reflect the legacies, power dynamics, and ideologies developed during this period.