Yes, I know it’s a pleasant thought for many here. But after some contemplation, I think such an outcome may not currently be in anyone’s interests. America as a world hegemon does provide certain valuable services at the moment:
Maintaining a safe environment for global trade and commerce.
The fact of the matter is that the world’s major sea lanes are safe guarded by the USN. Without the U.S military, the global economy would break down into several smaller regional economies with reduced inter-continental volumes of trade.
Having a global hegemon reduces the threat of war between major power blocks because each would be afraid of foreign intervention from the superpower.
The superpower maintains international organs for the exchange of financial/cultural/technological information. It also maintains the majority of the global communications network.
A superpower can maintain the illusion of international laws that apply equally to all(except themselves and their vassals)
As good as it sounds, the collapse of the American empire could cause a world-wide dark age. And that is probably something which is not in everyone’s interests at this stage.
But gradually america’s dominance is coming to an end. Usa’s economy percentage wise has actually come down when we compare it to 1950’s compared to the total world economy. China is growing quite rapidly and it’s economy will be the bigger then USA in terms of GDP by 2040 and in term of PPP would happen even earlier. I personally think by 2040 it will truely be a bipolar world. American military would be still superior then china’s but the difference would have reduced a lot. It will be interesting to see how the world will be by 2060-70 when there will be three countries that would be way bigger then rest of the world- them being usa, china, india. India’s economy in terms of GDP will surpass that of usa by around 2065. World will become tripolar by then.
Check the pic on the link given. It has the graph of the world economies and their GDP. This is how the economists think the world would be in 2025 and 2050.
Anglo-Saxon countries have always been a better choice than Russians, French:hehe:, Germans, Arabs or Japs. USA is far from perfect. But I’d rather live under an American/British empire than some other european or Asian empire. …unless the values of anglo-saxon model change.
‘American empire’ can be more effective if they try not to slove all problems through bullying tactics. Too much ‘bullying’ weakens them.
[QUOTE]
The fact of the matter is that the world's major sea lanes are safe guarded by the USN. Without the U.S military, the global economy would break down into several smaller regional economies
[/QUOTE]
Yes and this will stop the multinational companies to engulf the wealth of poor countries.
No one is indispensable and history will show you that many empires crumbled but the world marched on. america is no exception. The world will survive and keep on progressing with or without America.
well said my friend… There was the world long before amreeka and there will be one long after amreeka.. (note the “a” in amreeka is not in capitals any more, just like Eyran droped great from great satan )… BTW amreeka is no where close to empires namely the most recent British Empire… Amreeka is a rogue that goes around and finger little states and when gets raped becomes a very civilized little terrorist…
It's not a question of whether we want to live under some empire or not. Most of us don't like any overbearing imperial structure in its new forms. Nothing lasts forever. The question is what choices we have until a new world order free of any form of master/slave relationship is established.
Japs are strong economically, but, thank God, not militarily. Look at what they did in WW2. Even the voices critical of the western imperialistic tendencies (like Mahatir Muhammad) have called British more civilized than Japanese.
Then we have China. China doesn't look interested in ruling the world. Their immediate interest lies in their neighborhood. Secondly, they would have to increase thier military spending significantly before they could act as the agents of empire. However, they have the potential to form one.
The only other challenge for American imperial status in the foreseeable future can come from a United Europe led by Franco-German alliance. Do I trust Germans more than British or Americans? No! Does France have the potential to become an imperial power without the assistance of other European forces? No! They can become a culinary empire.
Russia? Hell, no.
Arabs? They like Americans more than they like Pakistanis. Besides they have to go a long way in overcoming their own fractured unity and setting their priorities right before they could become agents of change again.
I hope (but doubt that) people will learn to tolerate and help each other without trying to enslave the rest of humanity.
1.** [By introducing the fiat currency (Bretton woods) and backing it up with oil -- an essential commodity --and military might, the US has enjoyed unlimited spending power. Trade deficits? Hey Bhutan!! fcuk you, take some measly worthless paper treasury securities as payment in exchange for those precious gems and statues. You will need it to pay for oil. ]**
Having a global hegemon reduces the threat of war between major power blocks [is like saying i am an oxymoron. Also, the presence of ONE superpower vastly puts us at an advantage to fight aliens and predaors from outer space. I saw the movie "Independence Day" and immediately culled a mountain of irrelvant facts to bolster my argument on GS]
The superpower maintains international organs for the exchange of financial/cultural/technological information. [Sometimes, when I am donned in my resplendent Uncle Tom's tunic, I am so rabidly fanatic and unabashedly obsequious in my inscrutable utterances regarding my Masters, that I will go any length to bestow adulation for things even the neocons would be ashamed to take credit for.]
A superpower can maintain the illusion of international laws that apply equally to all. [Even I dont believe in my BS sometimes. This would be one of those rare occurences. I mean come on look at Gitmo.]
As good as it sounds, the collapse of the American empire could cause a world-wide dark age . And that is probably something which is not in everyone's interests at this stage*, except for kool-aid drinking yes-men like myself]*.
US will not stop bullying the world, solely to stay viable economic power and defence super power. most of its ventures around the world are devised to stay at number 1 position, how ethical or un ethical or lair they have to become they do it as sole survival game.
To become a normal country like others in the world they have cut its economy size bring it to realistic sustainable levels. which will be very very hard for them to digest.
world is going towards change slowly but steadly specially chinese, french and germans will sustain well. followed by Russia and India.
without the US virtual empire which is far better than colonising, world would be a very safe place with more equal emerging powers. unless the current giant dont make them to fall in potholes.
It's amusing that the enventual downfall of the USA is the only thing that can make you losers feel better about yourselves.
When Belgians, Malaysians, or El Salvadorans conduct business dealings w/one another in any language other than American-English, and when they determine the value of the good (or service) that they're selling in something other than the American-Dollar, then we'll know that the USA isn't on top anymore.
You cannot judge countries on the basis of their leader. Leader may have been picked by the people but you have to see what choices they had to deal with. Other countries are goingthrough the same situation. As far as empires go, the time has changed where you would call countries building empires. Now they are making allies, I think far more dangerous than an empire becuase the empires trumble when the main leader is losing ground, but if one of the allied country falls, the allience dont fall. US will be known in history for the most number bases in the world. No other country in the world has more bases than the US.
And by the same token when the empire crumbles there are no allies but there are no allies to begin with… There are only interests and that is teh bottom line, even US with all its bases has its limitations, it can’t even retrieve USS Pubelo let alone threaten a puny little state. It struggles with 6 million Sunnis counting on Shias to play teh buffer game. It calls on International communty to deal with Iran when it has never hesiated to lobe missiles on nations that are helpless.. Examples provided on request.
In what frame of mind do you believe that if US does not want to wipe of a town of the map, cannot do so. It is struggling because they are not in the favour of killing people. US being having the one of the top notch air attack can do so and during the WWII they proved it if you do get on their nerves, outcome could be lethel. I hope that would not be the case this time. As far as the limitation goes... every thing is fair in love and war!!:D
If you think that wiping out a town or an entire ethenic group is an option then you need to have your head examined.. This is the same US that did not hesitate to use nukes on INNOCENT CIVILIANS in the past, now technology is way too diverse and quite a few countries will go nooclar over night. Can you imagine US using nukes and the next thing you know is that not only Kims and Jims but every Tom dick and harry walking around with a nooclar gun pointed at US.. LOL… If you were the strategis in US think tanks then no worries..
Advise for you, read up on USS Publo and Amreekan table dance
You are the one questioning the powers of the US. No one is ever perfect. They all have issues they have to work with. Using nukes would be the ever last option of any force no matter if its US or even Pak. It would cause tremendous casulties.
Alot of us get emotional on the part that US cannot go far and beyond their limits to do what they want but they can. The best thing to do is be like China where you see eye to eye with them or just neglect them like other smaller countries. Dont be on thier hit list. Venezuala is only country jumping but other than that, all the Latin countries do not give a rat about the world issues. They are in their own world ready to watch FIFA in a few days and get on with their lives.
)… BTW amreeka is no where close to empires namely the most recent British Empire… Amreeka is a rogue that goes around and finger little states and when gets raped becomes a very civilized little terrorist…
