Our Way: The trouble with being the world's only superpower,

October 18, 2002 10:09 AM

Our Way: The trouble with being the world's only superpower, by Fareed Zakaria, discusses the U.S.'s role as the world's sole superpower, and gives a historyof the U.S.'s relationships with global institutions. Great reading.
posted by Ty Webb (15 comments total)

I know this essay was posted in this thread a few days ago, but it's such a great piece that I thought it deserved an FPP of its own.
posted by Ty Webb at 10:12 AM on October 18, 2002

Excellent article. I didn't see it in the first post, so thanks for posting it again.
posted by einarorn at 11:27 AM on October 18, 2002

A bit disengenuous to suggest that Russia collapsed because they were feared and we we were loved. Russian collapsed because Ike outspent them with military armament and drove their economy into the ground while ours merely developed a super huge deficit under Ronnie.

We are the only superpower and we are not exactly feared but mostly not loved...and we still continue arming to the hilt despite the great needs at home (jobs, deficit, health care system etc).
posted by Postroad at 11:39 AM on October 18, 2002

Communism collapsed because it's basic economic premises are antithetical to human nature, much less maintaining a 14 timezone empire. The Chinese have adapted accordingly.
posted by quercus at 11:50 AM on October 18, 2002

In Why Not Me?, Al Franken constantly refers to the US as the "last remaining superpower." I couldn't help but hear this essay in his voice...makes everything have an odd flavor when you expect it to end... and I'm Al Franken.
posted by thanotopsis at 12:24 PM on October 18, 2002

This is the first piece of writing I've seen that clearly explains the administration's unusual and often shocking policies. This piece has, for the first time in months, made me suspect that maybe the administration has its priorities straight after all. I'm not totally won over by Zakaria's argument that America's interests can best be accomplished (in the near future, at least) through diplomacy, since diplomacy is the one area where our opponents have equal standing with us, but any connection of a Bush family member to president wilson can only be good.
posted by gsteff at 12:42 PM on October 18, 2002

A very interesting essay that manages to capture a fair amount of the complexity and contradictions of US policy and the American character in relatively few words.
posted by MrBaliHai at 12:45 PM on October 18, 2002

The U.S. is the worst superpower imaginable - until you consider the alternatives.
posted by Carlos Quevedo at 12:53 PM on October 18, 2002

The Chinese have adapted accordingly.

I have no idea what you are talking about.
posted by four panels at 1:12 PM on October 18, 2002

four panels: I think the reference is to China's abandonment of socialist economics ("To get rich is glorious").
posted by languagehat at 1:19 PM on October 18, 2002

Ah, thank you. I thought it referred to some sort of asian spatial trickery.
posted by four panels at 1:29 PM on October 18, 2002

four panel: also the fact that China I believe is now one huge timezone.
posted by gyc at 1:40 PM on October 18, 2002

gyc: you are correct, China only has one time zone, which is eight hours ahead of GMT. Overall this article brings to mind a simple question... What is behind America's, supposed good intentions?
posted by npost at 2:45 PM on October 18, 2002

Quesrcus wrote: Communism collapsed because it's basic economic premises are antithetical to human nature
I would be curious to know your reasons for making this statement. What manner of extensive study of "human nature" have you conducted?
posted by yoz420 at 4:18 PM on October 18, 2002

that's some good reading.
posted by raaka at 11:06 PM on October 18, 2002