American Decline: Causes And Consequences

Is the decline inevitable?

Discuss about the American Decline for Causes and Consequences.

There are several forecasting reports which assume that there will be a sudden and relevant decline in the power and autonomy of the United States in the world. The theorists and forecasters are pointing out several factors which will be the moving force behind this decline in the US world influence. These factors include the decline in the GDP of the country as before 25 years the GDP of the country was very high but in present years the country is continuously experiencing declined GDP. There are few major things which have given flame to such predictions of declining influence of UJS such as holding up of few formidable economic assets, the meltdown and crashing up of the US financial system during the global financial crisis, usage of torture in the ‘war on terror’ and ill-judged crisis in Iraq. The slow recovery of the country’s financial system has driven the growth of the predictions that the country will soon lose its influence across the globe (Cox, 2012). Earlier the country was an inspirational model and there were several nations which want to travel on a similar path but presently the rate of admirers have declined. As the model of the country is no longer an inspirational one. The various deficit crisis, debt crisis and bankruptcy of various organizations on a continuous basis are also the factors which are significant causes of power shift. There are other factors such as the labor relations and the structure of the trade union which also have their vital role in the declining influence of the nation. Thus there are several; factors which are predicted as the affecting forces which will have their role in declining the US influence in the world (Chomsky, 2011).

It can be analyzed that the decline is inevitable in nature to some extent. There are several things which can have their support and vital importance in mitigating this decline. They most powerful and strong asset hold by the US economy is its influential and dominant military power and other armed forces. The country spends highest amount of capital over the development of its military and other forces. There is no other country which cam presently is compared with the army army and military power of the US. The huge standing army and extensive blue water navy are the two recognized powerful weapons of the US which rule and influence the world (Cox, 2012). The other factor which contributes that the decline of US influence can be reduced includes the increasing presence of Western culture and Western products in the Asian regions. This depicts that the people of Asian countries are getting fascinated by the Western mores which increases the power of West or the US in the world. Another bigger strength of the US is its innovation. The United States is still among the top ten nations who are famous and recognized for their innovations (Nye Jr, 2010). The continuous innovations and the use of the most techno savvy products and services maintain the influence of the US in the world. Thus it can be said that to some extent it can be said that the decline of the US influence can be reduced and the country can be able to maintain its authoritative position for a longer period of time with its various capabilities, power and possessions (Layne, 2012).

Countries likely to challenge US dominance in the near future

There are various developing countries which are continuously rising and having their impactful influence in the world. Two such countries which can be seen as future leaders are China and India. There are rapid developments and continuous growth taking place in these nations which can be analyzed with the increasing GDPs of these nations. China with its extensive number of population is making its position in one of the fastest developing nation which is presently giving competition to several developed nations in various sectors. China is striving hard to deliver the most innovative products and services to the world and that to at the most decent and reasonable prices. The larger economies of India and China are very powerful in natures which are evolving with time (Nye Jr, 2010). In the coming few decades these nations will have a major influence in the world because of their increasing capability, growth and rapid development. China has its share of around one-tenth of the total GDP of the world which shows a major contribution in the economic growth at the international level. In the global society, China and India are the two countries which are rapidly becoming the responsible stakeholder with their vast development and contributions at the international level. Thus it can be said China and India have their major role in declining the influence of the US and the challenging the US dominance (Mann, 2012).

Polarity can be understand as the way in which the power and influence is distributed among the global system. Multipolar world is the one in which there are several different powers and no singly nation has its influence or rule in the world. All the nations contribute and have their specific influence in the global functioning. There are few business implications of the rise of multipolar world such as decentralization of the decision making, so that there can b e faster decision making in the companies. Another implication is building of a global talent pool as the organizations are now employing individuals from overseas depending upon their capability and aptitude (Purushottam and Rwelamia, 2011). These business implications are the after effect of the rise of multipolar world. It has been analyzed that the Asian countries are getting high weight and involvement in the global economy as their economic development is one rise. China and India are two such Asian countries which are having their higher involvement in the world politics because of their rising economies and growth. These are the Asian countries which are influencing the world and the shift of power is taking place from the developed nations to these Asian developing countries. Thus it can be said that there are several positive business implications such as usage of new and innovative business strategies and global expansion as the change of world economy to a multipolar society (Roberts, 2011).

There are few most like changes and scenario which will take place in the coming ten to twenty years in context with the US. The competitors or the rivals will be giving a striving and tough competition to the US. There will be more powerful nation which will dominate few areas or sectors where presently the US has its leadership. The influence of US will be completely vanished as there will be other countries which will possess strong economical power and growth which will not give any room for independent autonomy and influence to any single nation (Graham, 2014), Thus the power of the US will drop down and there will be only authoritative position over the domestic regions only instead of global influence. There will be decrease in the percentage of share of the US in the global GDP as in the coming twenty years there will be for sure higher percentage of GDP of other developing nations too. There are few things where the US can maintain its position in the upcoming years i.e. the military power, innovations and high-tech services (National Intelligence Council, 2012).

References

Chomsky, N., (2011), American Decline: Causes and Consequences, Retrieved on: 9^th January, 2017, Retrieved from: https://chomsky.info/20110824/

Cox, M., (2012), Power Shifts, Economic Change and the Decline of the West? International Relations, Sage Publications, Pp.20, Retrieved on: 9^th January, 2017, Retrieved from: https://www.lse.ac.uk/IDEAS/pdf/COX-Waltz.pdf

Graham, D.A., (2014), What Will America Look Like in 2024? Retrieved on: 9^th January, 2017, Retrieved from: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/07/what-americans-expect-over-the-next-10-years-in-tk-charts/373610/

Layne, C. (2012). This time it’s real: The end of unipolarity and the Pax Americana. International Studies Quarterly, 56(1), 203-213.

Mann, M. (2012). The sources of social power: Volume 3, global empires and revolution, 1890-1945 (Vol. 3). Cambridge University Press.

National Intelligence Council, (2012), GLOBAL TRENDS 2030, Pp.166, Retrieved on: 9^th January, 2017, Retrieved from: https://globaltrends2030.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/global-trends-2030-november2012.pdf

Nye Jr, J. S. (2010). American and Chinese power after the financial crisis. The Washington Quarterly, 33(4), 143-153.

Nye Jr, J. S. (2010). Futures of American Power-Dominance and Decline in Perspective, The. Foreign Aff., 89, 2.

Purushottam, N., and Rwelamia, P.M.D., (2011), Strategies in a Multipolar World: Opportunity for application of project management approaches, Business Studies Journal, 3(1), Pp.9, Retrieved on: 9^th January, 2017, Retrieved from: https://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/5645/Business%20Studies%20Journal.pdf?sequence=1

Roberts, J. T. (2011). Multipolarity and the new world (dis) order: US hegemonic decline and the fragmentation of the global climate regime. Global environmental change, 21(3), 776-784.