The future of American role as the world’s government therefore depended on how much, and for how long, American would be willing to pay
(Michael Mandelbaum)
Until now, US react as if they are world government in which other countries as their citizens. Though US weren’t elected democratically to be on that position, they get international legitimacy because of their strong military and economy since World War II. Yet, today, US Legitimacy as World’s Leader are being challenged. The challenge doesn’t come from nowhere; it comes from Domestic factor of US Socio-politics.
Expensive Position
As G. John Ikenberry said, US have two grand strategies to place them as the world’s government. The first grand strategy is the realist orientation which US try to contain the expansion of other’s military power by deploying military power around the world or making military alliance with other states. The second grand strategy is the liberal orientation by pushing free trade and liberal economic through the establishment of international regimes. Through the first grand strategy, US practice military hegemony while through the second, they execute benign hegemony.
Within these two grand strategies, US successfully become the world’s leader. Though a lot of states do not like US achieve this position, none of the states in the world really try to change the balance of power. France, China, and Russia generally don’t like US Hegemony. But none of them have policies to change the status quo. It is because a lot of states get a benefit while US in charge as the world’s leader. And US do have a tendency to make other states gain a benefit in international system. As Mark Twain said, weather that everybody talks about it but nobody does anything about it.
But lately for US citizen, these two grand strategies are too expensive. The deployment of US Soldier in bases outside homeland cost a lot of money, yet there are no real military threats in post collapse of Soviet Union. Moreover, in the 21 century, US Enemies aren’t nation state anymore but non-state actors which are so different with nation state actors. So do the free trade. Free trade has made US domestic market heaven for other countries’ products. That’s why, US trade balance are always deficit and make a lot of their citizen lost their jobs.
Domestic Problem
Foreign policy begins at home. This sentence is an axiom that absolutely true in foreign policy study. Survey shows us that majority of American believe that actions taken by their government abroad are based on American interest. The struggle to disseminate democracy is good if it can bring economic advantage for American.
Like Michael Mandelbaum said, Americans always implement cost-benefit calculation. Americans ungrudgingly agree if their money taken by government is used to finance US foreign policy that so expensive. But, Americans have a limit how far their money can be expensed for US foreign policy.
When the cost needed to maintain domestic welfare is increase, money from taxes can’t cover both cost to maintain domestic welfare and US hegemonic power. Within its demographic condition where young people are less than older people, US government should responsible for pension cost, social security, and health security. All of the costs are paid by young US citizen. Estimated that around 45-75 trillion dollar are cost that young US citizen should pay. Statistic shows that US expend more than US$ 400 billion for security budget and left US$ 80 billion for education budget. Compare with other developed countries, public education in US is the worst.
A dilemma
Though US is always contested by other countries, no one dare enough to take US position. To maintain security stability in the world isn’t something that easy to do and only US who has willingness to take care that job. China which is projected to be the world’s new hegemonic is never come out from Asia. So does Russia. Using hegemonic stability theory, every country in the world is taking advantage while US become hegemonic state in anarchic international system.
But, by seeing the domestic problems faced, US stuck in dilemmatic condition. In the one hand, being world’s hegemony is wasting a lot of energy. In the other hand, the task of US government is to prosper US citizen. Therefore, US must choose between international ambition (gun) and domestic problem (butter) .
Surely, democracy rather choose butter than gun. In declaration of independence is also stated that the purpose of the establishment of US is to create life, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness of all American. That purpose is merely domestic problem rather than international one. Never stated in declaration of independence that maintaining international stability and creating global wealth as US purposes. So, constitution doesn’t gives allowance for US to play as the world’s government.
Paul Kennedy has ever said, the decline of hegemonic powers isn’t caused how far they lost its international legitimacy but how far they lost legitimacy from their people. The biggest threat that make US hegemonic power decline is not come from the rise of other super powers in international system but come from the willingness of US citizen who sick with all of the high cost they should pay to maintain hegemonic position. At least, financial crisis phenomena faced by US, subprime mortgage crush US property sector, the decline of public education service, trade deficit, financial deficit, and the rise of criminality are some of example how the coming end of goliath is begin.
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