The shift in global hegemony ( boarding a sinking ship...... ??)
An interesting article which I read yesterday was from the Guardian of London authored by Martin Jacques, with the above title... ( the text in parenthesis is my own..) It pains for many to read the article, particularly those who were so confident of the infallibility of the West, at least during their life time.. How safe would we feel boarding a sinking ship ? The migrants who came to US over the years feel the same now.
The article gives a historical sketch of how after the depression of the 30s, between 1931 and 1945, global power started shifting from London to New York. The end of Britain's financial ascendancy and its replacement by the US.
From a British colony which killed and silenced the natives ( the original owners) of the land, disguised in their attire to gain rights and independence from the British (http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/teaparty.htm ), supported big time migration of peoples from different parts of the world. Not to forget the brains from Israel, Werner Von Braun and others, it got international recognition as an international power to reckon with. Hiroshima and Nagazaki clinched the deal for the US.
Taoguand Yanghai - this Chinese word translated into English means hide one's capabilities and hide one's time. Exactly what China has been doing. It has been biding its time like a snake in the grass and at the opportune moment it has shown up with all its might ...
Though the rot had set in ten years back and the signs were visible from then with the ascendancy of the Bush team, the intelligentsia failed to grasp it. When the US started to show intolerance to any challenge to its hegemony over the world, little did it know it was the beginning of the end. It failed to realise that there is nothing permanent in this world. The attack on the twin towers irked US pride and prestige to the levels of the 1945 Pearl Harbour attack. Given the US intolerance to reason, this was the trigger which started it off. The utter failure of the government in bringing peace and reining its enemies in Afghanistan and Iraq added to its woes. Now it is totally dependent on China to help support itself with sticks to prevent what would be a virtual wash-off from the face of earth, if the Islamist radicals were to strike with full force.
There are three phases in this whole transition. The first was the coming to power of a black American as the President of US in 2008. US came to realise the hard fact that it was a weak power not able to prop its "own people" up and was dependent on other nations to retain its role in international affairs. The second was the active role China was willing to take, after its experience at liberalisation over the past three decades to willingness to take an important international role. The third was the onset of the global financial crisis, accentuated by greed and over-confidence of its people at the infallibility of the US economy, even violating basic economic principles.
China pressing for a new global currency ( immediately rejected by US for obvious reasons) and pressing for more rights for the developing countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China, in international financial organisations, has sent the shivers down the US spine. Visible signs of imminent threats to a tottering US economy.
China assuming the role of a central player in the global arena and US dependence on it to boost its trade and manufacturing are imminent signs of a power giving into the natural turn of global events.
The tragedy would be to the freedom loving people and the personal aspirations of thousands of people living in bondage.. Freedom for them is still far far away ..
-- George Easaw
George,
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have a festering hatred towards America, I understand, under George
Bush and others, the image has gone bad. But as a country, it is a great country,
I wouldn't like it to or wish for its failure(not because I live here, but partly because of that
since I see how the people here are and how things work here), at least we have a much humbler
president. You have to understand, there are 300 million
people living in this country, and their welfare is very important. Yes, the history of
America is not all that great, I resent the way how the Yankees have won over
the natives to build this country, sometimes I boil over the atrocities of early generations
of this country. You know, there are faults with each generations, but to carry on the
feelings is not very productive in our lives.
You are right, America, the invincible, might be weak for now. Here are some interesting
information for your reading and listening pleasure. But I believe, in spite of all this,
America will survive, emerge, and still will keep its 'great country' status, like every
other country out there(like India....)...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123051100709638419.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/20/ron-paul-defends-secessio_n_188893.html
Hemachandran
Dear Hem,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reply. You know the art of dowsing any great flame !!
In the mail, I was reporting some facts and am very sorry if it has hurt the feelings of some of us.. My main aim was to report some irrefutable facts. The earlier US gets to know of it, the better for it.
The way US citizens have been carrying and conducting themselves over the years, has been very worrisome. If only more such articles are brought up, the world will be a better place for other non_US citizens to live..
300 million citizens is a big number , but not when compared to the 1200 million in India or 1300 million in China.. Natural events take their natural turn .. The world will not change for US, it will have to change for the world, else be prepared for a wash-out !!
It is in everyone's interest to act responsibly for a brighter future for our planet and our kids..
( US actions have again started backfiring with last night's Hillary Clinton's speech warning the world of the threat posed by it's very closest ally in the fight against terrorism.., the nuclear arsenal, which could be used against US itself.. Crying wolf has become for real now...!)
george..