Vox Reader JoNíNí Coinnigh asks: Why does American politics (especially the presidential election) affect not only the United States but the world?
On one level, the answer to this question is very simple. The United States is the most powerful country in the world. So what happens in Washington is important to the world in the same way that decisions in Rome during the Empire are important to everyone who lived near the border.
However, I am worried that comparisons with Rome actually highlight the importance of America. Because the ancient world was more interconnected than most thanks, but that was nothing compared to the world we live in today.
In part, of course, this is a technology issue. This starts with the most dangerous weapon ever made by humanity.
Post-World War II politics have been defined primarily by the ghosts of nuclear war. If the US goes to war with Russia, China or North Korea, the use of nuclear weapons will have far more consequences than its targets. A complete nuclear exchange between large-scale nuclear forces can even undermine the foundations of life on Earth itself.
But even if we don’t talk about the worst case scenario, and frankly, unlikely scenarios, the US is still a global hegemon, setting conditions for political engagement for almost everyone on the planet. Masu.
It is the most powerful country in the NATO Alliance and the largest alliance system in global history. The US military has bases on all continents with a large population. The dollar is the world’s reserve currency, the most widely accepted form of financial exchange and therefore the backbone of the global economy. American diplomats play a role in sensitive negotiations around the world, even those that may not directly affect our interests.
How will the new Trump administration affect other parts of the world?
To see how American policy affects the world, consider the many specific policy issues raised directly by the new Trump administration.
I’m not saying that in each of these cases the worst case scenario will come true. Individually, the odds of a global economic meltdown, a new pandemic, warming above 4 degrees Celsius, or World War III remain relatively low.
Rather, the point is to show how vital the United States is for all of these issues. As the power of the world’s outstanding military, economy, diplomacy, science and culture, its policy decisions always affect everyone on Earth. Even purely domestic issues, like subsidies for green energy production, can have a major impact on global markets.
Are there any countries that compare to the influential US?
This may surprise you when you consider all the stories of China’s rise. However, in reality, the best research and evidence available suggests that China is quite behind the US in global power.
Military, China is a threat to America’s position in East Asia, but it cannot be compared anywhere else with America. Economically, China’s economy is stuck with a subtle depth that its leaders seem unable to fix. President Xi Jinping recently announced a new economic programme that is sought to stimulate it. Demographically, China’s population is decreasing rapidly, but (GULP) immigration continues to grow. Political, Chinese-style authoritarian capitalism enjoys only a small portion of the international legitimacy that American-style liberal democracy does. Diplomatically, Washington has ordered a much larger and more powerful alliance network than Beijing.
What we’ve seen over the past few years is a relative decline. As the US weakens, China becomes stronger. But the absolute is still important. And, absolute terms, the US far outperforms China in almost every meaningful global power indicator. What happens in Washington is simply more important than what happens in Beijing, and perhaps they have been doing so for quite some time.
For better or worse, America remains number one. That’s why the policy is of great importance to everyone.
