Containing the United States

European intellectuals yearned for its mutually exclusive: also a regime-changed Iraq and a America contained. Even the Chinese are far more pragmatic – bound by what is left of their Marxism, behavior is still ascribed by them to the contradictions inherent in capitalism.

America is impelled by its own economy and values into world dominion, claimed in March 2003 an analysis titled”American Empire Steps Up Fourth Expansion” from the party’s mouthpiece People’s Daily. Expansionism is a”eternal theme” in Western history along with a”primary line” running through its foreign coverage.

The USA is really a empire, containing the fruits of previous conflicts with its neighbors and foesone and the same. The global spread of Western influence throughout its tradition, political alliances, science and multinationals is only an extrapolation of a fad two centuries in the building.

How did a tiny country succeed to so transform itself?

The newspaper features America’s victory to its political equilibrium, failing to state the sources of endurance that is said, multi-party system and its pluralism. But then, in a intriguing departure from the official party line, it praises US”scientific and technological innovations and new accomplishments in economic growth”. Somewhat tautologically, it also credits America’s status as a empire into its”outside expansions”.

The remaining portion of the guide is, alas, no concluded, nor advised. American pilgrims were forced westward because”they discovered there was neither tile over their heads nor even a speck of soil beneath their feet (at the East Coast)”. But it is the emphases that are of interest, not the workmanship.

The content clearly defines America’s (capitalistic) economy and its own (liberal, pluralistic, religious and democratic) values because of its competitive mainstays and founts of power. “US special business growth spirit (together with the) the puritan’s’concept of assignment’ (are its fortes)”, gushes the anonymous author.

The paper illustrates four phases of distension:”First, apocalyptic growth phase; second, international expansion phase; third, the stage of international contention for hegemony; and fourth, the stage of world domination.” Third, the second and fourth are largely cultural, economic and military.

In an echo of Soviet and Euro-left conspiracy theories, the newspaper insists that growth was”actuated by industrial funding”. This funding – better known in the West because the complex – decides US foreign policy. Thus, the American Empire is closer to the Empire that is driven .

Actually, the author thinks aloud, isn’t the reign of America only the successor of Britain’s? Wasn’t it John Locke, a British philosopher, that said that growth – that a”natural right” – reacts to domestic needs? Wasn’t it Benjamin Franklin who maintained the United States should”continuously acquire new land to open up living room” (the forerunner of the infamous German”Lebensraum”)?

The author estimates James Jerome Hill, the American railway magnet, as exclaiming, throughout the US-Spanish War, that”If you review the industrial history, you will see anybody who controls oriental trade will get hold of international wealth”. Thus, US growth was concerned mainly with”protecting American business monopoly or advantageous position”. America entered the first world war when”its own free trade position was challenged”, opines the red-top.

American moral values are intended to”serve industrial funding”. This mixing of the spiritual with the pecuniary is disorienting. “The Americans themselves find it tough to distinguish which subject is enlarging national interests under the banner ‘enforcing justice on behalf of Heaven’ and which is dispersing their ideology and concept of value on the plea of national interests.”

The newspaper cites the conviction, held by many Americans, their system and values are the”greatest things in human culture”. Furthermore, Americans have been missionaries using a”manifest destiny” and”the responsibility and obligation to assist other nations and countries” and to serve as the”the beacon lighting up the way for its growth of other nations and countries”. If everything else fails, it seems warranted to”force its finest items on other nations by the procedure of Crusades”.

This is a patently non-Orthodox representation of history and of the use of the United States – the prime specimen of self – in it. Economy, admits the author, plays with just one part in the ascendance of America. Tribute has to be awarded to its own values also. This perspective of the United States – in the height of an worldwide crisis is nothing if not radical.

History is re-cast within an inevitable development of circles. The USA acted as a power, seeking real estate with Spain from Latin America and together with the Soviet Union all over the world. The Marshall Plan was a ploy. Even the Old Continent, sneers the newspaper, is nothing more than just”US little partner”.

But with the demise of the USSR, bemoans the columnist, the USA exhibits”rising hegemonic airs” and can”anything it delighted”, concurrently twisting economical, cultural and military arms. Inevitably and especially after September 11, calls for a”new empire” are on the increase. Iraq”was selected as the first target for this new form of growth”.

But the expansionist drive has become self-defeating:”Just when the United States refrains from taking the path of pursuing worldwide empire, is it avoid terrorists’ bombs or other types of attacks befalling on its own territory”, concludes the opinion piece.

What is China up to? Were this – and comparable – articles a signal encrypted at the best Cold War convention?

Another comment published a few days could include the key. It’s titled”The Paradox of American Power”. The author quotes at length from”The Paradox of American Power – Why the World’s Only Superpower Can not Move It” written by Joseph Nye, the Dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and a former Assistant Secretary of Defense:

“Hard energy works through coercion, with military sticks and financial carrots to get others to do your own will. Soft power works through fascination… Our attractiveness rests on our culture, our political values and our policies taking into consideration the interests of others.”

As it outlines Nye’s teachings, the design of the item is avuncular and conciliatory, not enraged or patronizing:

“In today’s world, america is no doubt in a beneficial situation with its hard power. However,… power politics always invite resentment and the intricacies of American power is the more powerful the state develops, the weaker its influence becomes. As the saying goes, a threat to oneself leads to an accumulation of misfortunes along with too much electricity stems from lavish of praises and favors. He, his power grows to a swelling condition he strikes anybody he wants to and turns a deaf ear to the others’ advice, will place himself in a circumstance. When one indulges oneself in wars of aggression under the pretext of’self safety’ will possibly get, in return, more factors of insecurity… Military forces can’t fundamentally solve problems and warfare rewards no one such as the war starter.”

Nor are the views the preserve of the well-balanced Communist party’s upper echelons.

At Precisely the Same month, at an interview that he granted to Xinhua, the Chinese news agency, Shen Jiru, leader of the Division of International Strategy of the Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, revealed his conviction that”the United States aims to make a unipolar world throughout the Iraq issue”.

Mirroring the People’s Daily, he didn’t believe the looming Iraq war can be completely described as a”dispute on oil or financial interests”. It had been, he believed, about”the future version of worldwide order: a multipolar and democratic one, and also the US strategic objective of a unipolar world”. China has been encouraged by dissent from the West. It demonstrates the”multipolar international community” is a”inevitable” effort of background.

Why this sudden flurry of ruminations that are historiosophic?

According to Stratfor, the strategic forecasting consultancy,”for Beijing, the only way to stymie the fourth stage is by way of promoting multilateralism; barring that, China has to be prepared to face the USA in the long run, along with U.S. history can give some guidance… Thus, Beijing continues to center on the concept of multilateralism and the legitimacy of the United Nations as the best ways to slow or perhaps interrupt U.S. expansionism. At precisely exactly the same time, Beijing is preparing to deal with a future confrontation with the United States if necessary.”

China would like to become another United States when its economy matures. It has begun emulating America two years ago – and never ceased. Recent steps incorporate restructuring of the banking system, debilitating privatization, revamping the security and military apparatus, paring the central bank, clamping down on corruption and bad governance and creating mechanisms for alterations.

China sent a man to the moon. It invests in research and fundamental science and development. It’s currently moving slowly up the food chain to high value added businesses. It’s the quintessential leapfrogger, a lot of its own cadre moving straight from the rustic to the plastic – wireless, mobile phones, computers and the like.

Ironically, it might never have made it this far without its ostensible foe. Thousands of students that are bright train from america. Technologies, management, knowledge, funds and promotion permeate the economic material of Beijing. Bilateral trade is flourishing. China appreciates the largest share of the world’s – in part American – direct investment flows. If the United States of America disintegrate China would follow.