Blog Post #2: Will the US continue to be the only Power

 Eli Webb

International Relations Blog Post #2


Ever since 1991, international relations experts and many other people, see the United States as the sole power in global power politics and the question begins to be asked, is this unipolarity at the brink of ending, or will it continue to be the US's number one and all other countries below us? The competition in the discussion right now is Russia and China mostly and Brazil and India as well. John Ikenberry writes in The Illusion of Geopolitics that “even if China and Russia do attempt to contest the basic terms of the current global order, the adventure will be daunting and self-defeating. These powers aren't just up against the United States”, they are up against so much more that he continues to discuss about, but most of it is led by or involves the US. (Ikenberry, “The Illusion of Geopolitics, pg. 8) Ikenberry is saying there is no shot China and Russia equal themselves to the United States. Yet, through my experiences abroad last year during the Trump era and the elections, I would say the United States as the sole power is coming to an end. I understand Nico in class would know more about the European opinion than me, and he said the opposite, but who I met and talked to last year laughed and felt scared at the United States priorities and international policies. 

During my gap year, I traveled to England, Italy, and Spain, and in each place I traveled to, politics became a topic of discussion because of how poor the United States was seen abroad. I spent most of my time in Spain, living with some Dutch, some Germans, and Spaniards. I met people from Ireland, Peru, and Switzerland, and with all these people, they honestly could not believe the United States' status politically, and since Biden came in, I cannot say it has gotten much better. From the readings of both Grossman and Boot, Afghanistan was a disaster and the US dug that hole for ourselves. With that finished super poorly, and 20 years of it to end like that, the United States does not look great.

I would agree that we still have a super large amount of influence around the world, with troops stationed in a vast amount of countries worldwide, bases as well, with diplomats in nearly every country, and with companies and exportation reaching around the globe. That means we are powerful, and we have been and will continue to be, but with the present political turmoil within the United States, there is no chance we will continue to be the only world power within the next 20 years. From Prof. Shirks lecture on 21st Century Power Politics, unipolarity never lasts, and becasue Jan 8th, 2020 was disastrous, and Biden’s approval rating continues to drop, and no bi-polar leading politicians awaiting for a lock into the presidency, the United States is torn as ever. With a country torn apart, there is only a slim chance it continues to be the single most powerful country in the world.

Comments

  1. Ellie StephensonOctober 4, 2021 at 7:51 AM

    I think your global perspective adds a lot to this discussion. I feel like a lot of time in our classes we all, since we are largely from America, just see all of the good in our country. However, it is clear that it isn't all just blue skies. I traveled to London during the time of the Trump administration, and I could easily tell that there was a growing negative sentiment towards the United States. One thing I may caution against when considering international perspectives on America is confusing these with the actual power and scope of the United States. Although I also believe that our unipolarity cannot last, I don't think that growing negative perceptions of the US, and only these perceptions can signify the US power decline.

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  2. Eli WebbOctober 6, 2021 at 12:29 PM

    Ellie, you are completely right about how the negative perceptions of the US does not mean we have a power decline. Power is not lost by some people's opinions that I met in Europe, but I will say since reading Ian Hurd's "Legitimacy, Power and the Symbolic Life of the UN Security Council, that most of politics is based on symbols and peoples perception of what that symbol means and the power behind it. And I agree with you at the moment, but if the symbol of the US or the presidency continues to be tarnished and scorned by the media, the citizens, and other countries, it seems that something has to change or the power of the US will dwindle and continue to dwindle until we see the flag of China or another country leading.

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  3. Thomas WOctober 13, 2021 at 11:57 AM

    Eli, this perspective, like Ellie noted, was really though provoking and one I have never had (as someone who's never left Boston, let alone the United States). It is genuienly so difficult for younger Americans, in my opinion, to even imagine a non US dominated World, regardless if they support the US imperialist system or not. It is so ingrained in the culture that it almost feels inevitably true at this point. However, as you mentioned, the more growing sentiment that exists where the US is not scene as the unilateral supreme power, I think the more that as a reality will set in. It is a bit of a constructivist take, but I believe a lot of power is simply how many people you can get to buy in. For example, the UK was scene and treated as very powerful for a very long time, simply out of tradition, and I think that their fall from "grace" (for lack of a better word), could be a parallel in the coming years with the United States.

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