Great power politics have always been changing
since states began establishing relations amongst each other. Since the time of
the Greeks, where Athens and Sparta vied for the representation of the whole of
Greece to the time of the Roman Empire when it was at its height with several
small states and principalities under its influence to the more modern European
colonial era and the 2 World Wars. The Cold War period pitched two of the
strongest powers against each other with the whole world as their battlefield.
The Soviet Union and the USA flexed their military and economic might against each
other in numerous open or proxy conflicts against each other such as Vietnam,
Korea, Afghanistan and Berlin.
After the Cold War ended with the collapse of
the Soviet Union, USA became the sole superpower in the world. This world order
remains till date. However the dynamics of great power politics are
ever-changing and the world might see yet another change in the world order as
we now see it.
There are quite a few perspectives as to what
changes may occur in the power politics of the world. Some researchers claim
that the US rule will continue for an indefinite period and a few researchers
even claim that the 21st Century belongs to the US. While others say
that US rule is nearing its end. Some theorists claim that the other countries
are gaining power and their growth will overshadow that of the US. Many choose
the middle ground and suggest that the US might not be losing “absolute power”
but other states are rising such as the Chinese who are looking to expand their
influence over the world and Russia looking to regain their lost glory.
Well, there is one thing for certain that the
US is unquestioned control of the world is being challenged with Russia
challenging US influence in the Middle East and China pumping a large amount of
investment in the Belt and Road Initiative which will reroute most of the
worlds trade through China and its allies.
According to David Singer, a state’s power is
estimated by its Military and Economic capability and as of now the United
States is the largest military spender in the world, with their spending
greater than the next 8 Countries combined. To support a defence budget as vast
as theirs a strong economy is needed which is exactly what the US possesses.
But Trump’s isolationist policies under the
guise of his campaign promise of ‘Make America Great Again’ have made him pull
the US out of major international treaties and Organizations. It started with
Trump annulling the 2015 US-Iran Nuclear Deal and now he is finalising the US
pull out of the WTO and WHO.
The future will depend upon the US Presidential
Elections in November. If Trump gets re-elected it will most likely end the United
States’ domination of world politics. However, If Biden gets elected which seems
to be so US will retake its role as “Leader of the Free World”.
But irrespective of whatever happens in
America, China is emerging and so is Russia hell-bent on reclaiming its lost
glory. A renewed Sino-Russian alliance could successfully challenge US
dominance of the world. At any rate, the world is heading towards
multi-polarity and maybe another war.
Comments
Post a Comment