Since the end of World War II the United States has attempted to establish a world order based on common consent, economic interdependence, and democratic rule. Yes, our fidelity to these aims has often fallen woefully short. That’s undeniable. We’ve been hypocritical on many egregious occasions. But even so, there was generally a shared thread amongst those we elected that these were the right ideals even when we failed to live up to them.
After September 11, we brought together a “coalition of the willing” to take military action around the world. Poorly thought through and supported by lies–but, a coalition nonetheless. We asked our allies to send their children to die for our cause in a desert on the other side of the planet. And they answered our call. Action taken by common consent–not unilateral declaration.
In the aftermath of WWII the United States engaged Japan and Western Europe in aggressive stabilization and rebuilding campaigns. We wanted to thwart the perceived dangers of communism and believed that this was the solution. The theoretical basis of these efforts was that democratic nations with interconnected economies don’t start wars and don’t become desperate enough to heed the calls of communist revolution.
Nations were to air their grievances in the United Nations, rally others to their cause, and exert social and economic pressure rather than take military action. Through this venue the Cuban Missile Crisis was resolved without bloodshed. Through humanitarian programs the United States exerted soft power throughout the world showing the benefits of being our friend while using economic sanctions to warn of the danger of being our enemy.
Again, we failed many times to meet these ideals, but they were a shared sentiment even so.
This is no longer true.
The United States has now placed in charge a group of people for whom the saying “might makes right” is the furthest extent of their moral reasoning.
They assassinated a general of an adversary’s army because they could. They kidnapped a foreign head of state because they could. They are threatening to conquer Greenland because “no one’s going to fight us over it”. They use missiles to blow up civilian boats in the ocean because they can.
They act unilaterally, insult our allies, and spit in the faces of common consent, economic interdependence, and democratic rule. This matters possibly more deeply than the rest of the abhorrent, degenerate, destructive behaviors they engage in.
If the foundational principles of the world order we’ve existed in for the past 50+ years fall then the world will enter a spiral of destruction. “Might makes right,” so the US takes Greenland and goes to war with Europe. “Might makes right”, so, while the US is distracted, China takes Taiwan. “Might makes right”, so with Europe distracted, Russia finally succeeds conquering Ukraine and moves on to the Baltics. Every country with the means begins a crash program to build, buy, or steal nuclear or biological weapons because it’s the only language still understood in a “might makes right” world. And we will leave the world in ashes.
We know how this plays out because WWII was heavily documented and has been studied for decades. When demagogues seize power and believe themselves above consequence they endlessly grasp for more. After all, until someone stops them, they have the right to take more. That’s the way the world works–that’s the way the world they want to live in works.
Common consent is gone as far as the United States’ international actions are concerned. We’ve withdrawn from dozens of cooperative international agencies and taken unilateral action whenever it pleases us–enemies or allies be damned. Our new policy on international relations is, “Who’s going to stop us?”.
Economic interdependence is under assault from isolationist tariffs and trade wars. If we no longer buy anything from Mexico, then it won’t hurt our economy to bomb Mexico into oblivion.
Democratic rule is hanging by a thread. The president already incited a violent coup once, was impeached for it, and for some insane reason this country elected him again. He and his cabal have been laying the groundwork for months to normalize the idea of violating the Constitution so he can remain in power when his term ends.
The danger is immense. And I don’t know what to do about it.