Introduction
As we already know that United
States of America is a super power country, with the strong economic, military
and other aspects that required becoming a super power country. How did they
start this hegemony power? One big question that should be answer, and in this
past 2 years, the hegemony economy of United States of America was being
unrivaled by China. Can the hegemonic power fall? I’ve always maintained
that the United States’ rule as supreme superpower would come to an end
economically, rather than militarily. When
we consider the world’s
history, it’s always notable that the time frames of any superpower, or
subsequent world ruler, is becoming shorter and shorter. Initially, the Egyptians, Romans and Greeks had their time, and
were the benchmark in all that was progressive and successful for thousands of
years. More recently, the Spanish,
British and a number of other European nations filled this gap, although only for a couple of
hundred years. The British were
more successful than the others due to their willingness to wage war when
they wanted something, often culminating in tensions on the European mainland
even though the dispute raged in other parts of the world.
One
of the reasons was the strategic military position Britain had in relation to
the rest of Europe, being more impenetrable due to them being an island;
something even the modern Germans learnt on the hard way. When political pressure in favour of
de-colonization started to emerge in the 20th century, the Britt’s
had the brains to render their conquered lands back to the locals... on their
terms. Sure, they always had a war
or military incident raging somewhere in the world, but that is a natural appearance
considering the amount of ground that had to be defended. The Americans saw
this, and used the same principle by applying economics. In contrast to the
British and Romans, their rule was but for a couple of decades.
Why always United States of America
if we want to compare the economic power from each state in the world? Maybe
the history can tell everything, from the Christopher Colombus era until now.
From the time that he found the new world until that new world becomes the
supreme ruler in the world. How about Japan, how about Germany, which both of
them are the big industrial states, and also they are, developed countries. And
this is the ironic part of the history; both of them are the allies of the
supreme ruler United States of America.
Should we as Indonesian people apply
the same economy system that America has already applied? I don’t think so. The
downturn of American economy is ongoing. Moreover Indonesia is a developing
country; we are still being “raped” by big states like them. Another thing is
Indonesia suitable if we use Keynesianism? Or economic liberal like USA did.
Imaginaries economy like United State of America did, with the shares and else.
Indonesia supposes to be strong in
order to face the globalization; we must have the blue print on order to make
it as the base to make Indonesia a prosperous country. But sadly we don’t have
such a blue print, because UUD 1945 and Pancasila, both of them are not
sufficient to bring our lovely country Indonesia to become hegemony.
History
In this section, I will elaborate
more about the United States of America after World War II history. These are
about the building system, which is
happened in 40’s until 50’s, growth
period, from circa 1950-1973, crisis
period, 1973-1980, globalization,
and the last the strengthen the link of
globalization.
1. Building System
If we talk about United States of America in
economic sector, as I said before, we will see USA as the embryo, because
believe it or not United States of America has made the world economic order. The
United States of America seemed very clever in reading the situation of the
world after the World War II. Before World War II, the economic system of
United States of America was closed economic system. They did not want to go
out before they strengthen the economic power.
After the World War II, many countries
fell down because the drawbacks of the war. They just like had serious wounds
that very hard to heal. But the United States of America came and gave the aids
to the actors of World War II. But before go to the aids, United States of
America and United Kingdom made one great step in order to make the economics
of USA go worldwide or become the order of economic world.
The spirit
of liberalism and also mercantilism pushed United States of America to increase
the economic transaction based on the same access condition in the market. The
conference was held in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. The conference produced
the International Monetary Fund (IMF),
World Bank, and General agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The aims of the
Bretten Woods conference were first, to decrease the tariff and other barriers
in international trade, and the second to normalize and create the economic
conflict.
The general agreement on tariff and trade was the
embryo of the WTO (World Trade Organization). It established in January 1 1995
through the Uruguay Round. The WTO
was established with the long negotiation, and the negotiation took until seven
years.
In this part, the building system, the United States
of America also applied the economic system called Keynesianism. What is Keynesianism? It is an economic theory
that John Maynard Keynes had created. Keynesianism is a mixed economic system,
which is the private and public sector have a important role in doing the
economic. The aims were to accelerating public works programs,
easing credit, and reducing taxes. In 1969, the Republican President Richard
Nixon proclaimed that “I am Keynesianism.”
Actually
there are so many program that USA planned. It is clear that the United States
of America really want to concur the world. It was proved in the New Frontier of America.
2. Growth
Period
In the growth period the United States of America
tried to go outside/ abroad. They helped the victim of the World War II. One
easy example is the Marshall Plan. Before
there was a European Union, there was a steel and coal community in Europe.
Marshall Plan came from the State Secretary of United States of America named
George Marshall.
The
political effects of the Marshall Plan may have been just as important as the
economic ones. Marshall Plan aid allowed the nations of Western Europe to relax
austerity measures and rationing, reducing discontent and bringing political
stability. The communist influence on Western Europe was greatly reduced, and
throughout the region communist parties faded in popularity in the years after
the Marshall Plan. The trade relations fostered by the Marshall Plan helped
forge the North Atlantic alliance that would persist throughout the Cold War.
At the same time, the nonparticipation of the states of Eastern Europe was one
of the first clear signs that the continent was now divided.
The European countries believed that the integrity in Europe,
between the European states was very important in order to help each other
because of the similar of the identity. Like the constructivism itself, many organizations
establish because of the similarity of the identity. Back to the European
Union, the Marshall Plan also helped the European community from the steel and
coal community, changed to the European Union. The Marshall Plan
linked into the Bretten Wood System, also mandated free trade throughout the
region.
3. Crisis
Period
During
the October 1973 Arab and
Israel war, the Arab members of the Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) announced an embargo against the United States in
response to the United States of America decision to resupply the Israeli
military during the war. OPEC members also extended the embargo to other
countries that supported Israel. The embargo both banned petroleum exports to
the targeted nations and introduced cuts in oil production. Several years of
negotiations between oil producing nations and oil companies had already
destabilized a decades-old system of oil pricing, and thus the OPEC embargo was
particularly effective.
Because of the war, the price of oil per barrel could
be double or quadruple. The need of the oil for the America’s alliances became
really bad. They could not afford the higher price and because that, many
European states and also Japan as the America’s alliances triggered the rift
within the Atlantic alliances. To complicate the situation, OPEC had linked an
end to the embargo to successful U.S. efforts to create peace in the Middle
East.
4. Globalizations
In this globalization, the United States of America
did a liberalization of the trade. In this era also, the World Trade
Organization came up. Not only that, there were also the global associations or
regional associations which were focusing in economic sector. For examples are the
NAFTA, SAFTA, GCC etc.
In this era, in my opinion United States of America
supposed to be aware of the others, especially in economic sector. The new
rivals will arise to become another super power in economic sector. The raise
of China and others like BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South
Africa).
5. Strengthen
the Link of Globalization
United States of America should strengthen their link
of Globalization. Believe it or not, the super power will fall, and the new
order will rise up. We see right now, China dominate the economic sector, and
the United States of America looked like a fever man who try to get up again.
Analysis
The wind no longer blows to the west. It means that
the United States of America become weaker and weaker. If we see from the
military, or the other side except economic, the United States of America seems
very strong, and no doubt, many people believe that the US still has their
legitimacy, they are still super power. But in economic sector, the rise of the
China, and other like BRICS could knock down the economy of America.
China has so called Dragon Machiavellian which means that China will strengthen the
military power in order to kick the US out from Pacific. And also Beijing Consensus which is argued by
Joshua Ramo that, China will offer the countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America
economy and infrastructure aids with the political support in return. Ramo
argues that China offers hope to developing countries after the collapse of the
Washington consensus. It provides a more equitable paradigm of development that
countries from Malaysia to Korea are following.
Actually the United States of America should be aware
also in military power. Like I said before, China will strengthen their
military power in order to kick America out from pacific. Kenneth Waltz argued that “when a state has a good economic
gravity, then the military of the country itself will be increase and become
much stronger.”
Is this the beginning of the fallen king of the world,
the king will be fallen by the new power? Many expertises like John J Merzheimer believed that the
bipolar will be much more stable than the multipolar or unipolar. Because the
other developing countries will try to bandwagoning the super power states,
let’s say United States of America and China. The result will be zero sum game
like what defensive realism said. The
president of United States of America Barack Obama is a clever president. His
policy called “wait and see” policy is maybe a good way to survive in order to
keep his legitimacy.
Conclusion
From the title “why always USA” actually shows the
question of many people that don’t understand why we always take a look to
united States of America, and not other states or maybe our own state. The
United States of America had started a great step in order to make the economy
order in the world. Their efforts were successful and those are the prove that
the geniuses of the U.S expertise.
If I see the problem of the European Union about the
crisis within the organization, and if we also take a look in the history about
Marshall Plan, in the fact, where is the USA? Why USA did not help in order to
solve the crisis within the EU? There are so many question that we can ask. Is
that because the economy condition in United States of America is falling, that’s
why they don’t help EU, or maybe the crisis was made by USA in order to make a
situation. Because I believe, conflict, crisis can be set up by someone who has
the power. And now, who has the power?
If we see the condition of the world right now, we see
USA and China are the threatening each other, but I believe that they have a
“bad affair” behind the fact, because they have a scenario in order to keep
their legitimacy or to keep their power.
