Threats to Hegemony

It is interesting that in the debate, both groups pointed towards the United States as being its own worst threat to its power. However, neither group mentioned the large role that domestic politics has in American hegemony. This country was set up with failsafes to prevent a large government, but throughout the years the government has only gotten larger and larger and can now hardly agree on anything within itself. The American people, or at least the majority of them who are unhappy, will eventually decide it is no longer going to put up with governmental failure. 

The fact that there is a growing income gap which decreases the equality of majority of the citizens in the country is an indicator for domestic upheaval. If the majority are not happy, something may come of it since this is a country run by the (majority) people. Without its citizens’ support, the US government would have no respect in the international community. The balance of power would shift, and a new order would ensue. 

This leads me to my next point. The world order has placed the United States ahead of all other countries for a long time now, and the American people are well aware. What they are not aware of is the rise and fall of power in the order. There is a cycle that can be seen when looking objectively, but objectivity is not the mindset of Americans. There is a sense of pride within American culture that just simply will not allow for the foresight of the fall of its great power stronghold. 

There are many Americans within the US who do have a good grasp on reality and the concept of what is a threat and what is not a threat to the US, but there are not enough of them within all levels of society. Good public education and higher education is not available to many people in the country. The amount of money that the US spends on its education budget is sickeningly low compared to the amount of money it spends on welfare, defense and weapons development, yet the White House says that the education budget will be increasing in years to come. 

Hopefully the US is well on its way to fixing its inadequacies, and will be able to gain more public support, fix the income inequality and increase education levels. As both groups made clear, the US is its own biggest threat.