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A shift in global powers
Posted on 11 April 2011. Tags: economy, Editorial, politics
By Brian Holmes
The United States was once feared across the world, and many nations aspired to follow in its philosophy and footsteps. But most of the world no longer accepts the U.S. as an unquestioned authority figure, and other countries, like Russia and China, are not content to sit idly by and let our country remain top dog without merit.
The major decline in global respect for the U.S. began with the disastrous war in Iraq and America’s failure to direct a proper exit strategy, resulting in an expensive and drawn out campaign.
Moreover, the arrogant “lone wolf” approach of the Bush administration did not sit well with many of America’s allies. Things are not looking much better in Afghanistan, the longest war in U.S. history, and now a third campaign in Libya is on the horizon – although the latter at least has international support.
As our country remains bogged down in debt and wars, Russia and China are rising in influence and economic growth on an unprecedented scale. If America falls, the entire West will likely not be far behind. While Western democracy is by no means perfect, at the very least it guarantees certain rights for its citizens.
China, not quite yet a superpower but with a growing influence (and perhaps our biggest threat), jails its citizens for disagreeing with the agenda of the communist regime. Liu Xianbin, an advocate for democracy in China, was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of “inciting subversion of state power,” proving China’s intolerance of human rights still remains at the forefront.
Russia, once a budding democracy after the fall of the Soviet Union, has been fast returning to its totalitarian roots. After serving two terms as Russia’s president (the maximum one can serve consecutively), Putin now serves as the Prime Minister under current President Dmitry Medvedev. Not so coincidently, Medvedev was Putin’s handpicked successor. Many experts believe that Putin is still the power behind the throne, regardless of the fact that Russia’s prime minister is to have strictly-enforced limited access to internal governmental affairs.
While the Russian people overwhelmingly voted for Medvedev in the “election,” the other candidates got nil support or publicity from the state-controlled national media. Medvedev was the only candidate who had any real chance to win. It has also been rumored that the editors of various independent newspapers throughout Russia who had supported other candidates mysteriously disappeared or recanted. Hardly an ideal democracy.
According to the International Monetary Fund, developing nations could expand up to 6.5 percent this year, compared to 2.5 percent for developed nations. The combined Gross Domestic Product of the Group of Seven, which consists of the world’s current seven largest combined markets, will be overtaken in 2032 by the current seven largest developing economies, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers report. The study also predicts that China will surpass the U.S. that same year as the world’s largest economy.
Many Western investors see this as an opportunity and are subsequently investing in this emerging market – not a bad move in terms of self-preservation. History, however, has taught us that the world is not big enough for two global superpowers with differing traditions and ideologies. The result would, more likely than not, be a war between the U.S. and China that would make all previous wars look trite in comparison, likely to be drawn out and gory, and a loss for the U.S. would leave China, a country that does not value human rights, as the lone superpower.
The U.S. is certainly not perfect, but at least one can write an editorial criticizing its policies without being jailed. In the decades to come, it shall be interesting to see how the U.S. will react as global powers begin to shift.
Our best bet? To bring our troops home and bolster our education and economy. It’s time for the U.S. to realize that our money is better spent investing in our future on our own soil instead of sustaining wars overseas.
Posted on 11 April 2011. Tags: economy, Editorial, politics
By Brian Holmes
The United States was once feared across the world, and many nations aspired to follow in its philosophy and footsteps. But most of the world no longer accepts the U.S. as an unquestioned authority figure, and other countries, like Russia and China, are not content to sit idly by and let our country remain top dog without merit.
The major decline in global respect for the U.S. began with the disastrous war in Iraq and America’s failure to direct a proper exit strategy, resulting in an expensive and drawn out campaign.
Moreover, the arrogant “lone wolf” approach of the Bush administration did not sit well with many of America’s allies. Things are not looking much better in Afghanistan, the longest war in U.S. history, and now a third campaign in Libya is on the horizon – although the latter at least has international support.
As our country remains bogged down in debt and wars, Russia and China are rising in influence and economic growth on an unprecedented scale. If America falls, the entire West will likely not be far behind. While Western democracy is by no means perfect, at the very least it guarantees certain rights for its citizens.
China, not quite yet a superpower but with a growing influence (and perhaps our biggest threat), jails its citizens for disagreeing with the agenda of the communist regime. Liu Xianbin, an advocate for democracy in China, was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of “inciting subversion of state power,” proving China’s intolerance of human rights still remains at the forefront.
Russia, once a budding democracy after the fall of the Soviet Union, has been fast returning to its totalitarian roots. After serving two terms as Russia’s president (the maximum one can serve consecutively), Putin now serves as the Prime Minister under current President Dmitry Medvedev. Not so coincidently, Medvedev was Putin’s handpicked successor. Many experts believe that Putin is still the power behind the throne, regardless of the fact that Russia’s prime minister is to have strictly-enforced limited access to internal governmental affairs.
While the Russian people overwhelmingly voted for Medvedev in the “election,” the other candidates got nil support or publicity from the state-controlled national media. Medvedev was the only candidate who had any real chance to win. It has also been rumored that the editors of various independent newspapers throughout Russia who had supported other candidates mysteriously disappeared or recanted. Hardly an ideal democracy.
According to the International Monetary Fund, developing nations could expand up to 6.5 percent this year, compared to 2.5 percent for developed nations. The combined Gross Domestic Product of the Group of Seven, which consists of the world’s current seven largest combined markets, will be overtaken in 2032 by the current seven largest developing economies, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers report. The study also predicts that China will surpass the U.S. that same year as the world’s largest economy.
Many Western investors see this as an opportunity and are subsequently investing in this emerging market – not a bad move in terms of self-preservation. History, however, has taught us that the world is not big enough for two global superpowers with differing traditions and ideologies. The result would, more likely than not, be a war between the U.S. and China that would make all previous wars look trite in comparison, likely to be drawn out and gory, and a loss for the U.S. would leave China, a country that does not value human rights, as the lone superpower.
The U.S. is certainly not perfect, but at least one can write an editorial criticizing its policies without being jailed. In the decades to come, it shall be interesting to see how the U.S. will react as global powers begin to shift.
Our best bet? To bring our troops home and bolster our education and economy. It’s time for the U.S. to realize that our money is better spent investing in our future on our own soil instead of sustaining wars overseas.
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