Very often it is easy to get tied up in the moment or era that we currently occupy. This is because the issues we face personally and as a nation are happening to us at this moment and not in the past. Our evaluation of things can be easily colored by this recency bias. There are of course real issues to face, and they have not been faced effectively or responsibly. These issues are important and matter. This post acknowledges this but also attempts to place these issues into a larger perspective about what has worked at home and abroad in the modern age and what hasn’t.
After World War II there was a consensus to avoid the kind of devastating, all encompassing, total war that griped the world. This was within the United States and among our international allies. Powerful nations understood the need to be more responsive to their people and meet their own interest abroad. Of course, national security interest was not only synonymous with putting ourselves first but finding common interest with other nations in order to meet certain goals and keep the peace. There is no question that the deterrence and diplomacy of nations were factors in this peacekeeping. But building common interest with other nations was also critical. This was done with the goal of maintaining an atmosphere where tyrants could be kept at bay and free nations could be protected. International institutions were created and have contributed to this purpose. Meeting our economic problems of the time and working on the world stage both in strength and in diplomacy (economic and military) is how things were done.
How would we evaluate these actions over time? We have not seen the kind of war that has had the total and international devastation of World War II since that time. There are many factors for this which include diplomacy and economic and military deterrence to back it. One cannot ignore the pursuit of common interests for peace and security along with international institutions enabling those pursuits. Overall prosperity has increased, average income is increased, overall standard of living has increased. Technology has created more convenience and ease of communication. This is again due to several factors, but integral is the protection of liberty and the rule of law that our modern world, along with democracy, maintains along with maintaining an atmosphere of opportunity and market economy. Government departments have helped in that they have protected some of that opportunity and equality. There are still problems which we will speak about later in this post. But the overall average advancement and the changes in the world that contributed to it are clear.
While the advancements of the United States and its system of government is strong and resilient, along with this postwar world. There are dangerous risks being posed at home and at every turn the postwar world is being corroded abroad. Our domestic problems are significant, but it’s extremely arguable that they politically justify (sometimes legally justify) the unilateral and arbitrary power being exercised now. Rather than finding effective and lasting solutions through legal reform and new law, which the current administration has every opportunity to vigorously exercise with all levers of government at its deposal. The way things are being done currently may in some cases place Americans more at risk economically, educationally, in their opportunity, and in their health.
In addition, the strength of the postwar world internationally is that nations meet their national interests through economic and security common ground and diplomacy. Of course, economic and military deterrence to a certain degree is necessary against our enemies and those we are in high-risk completion with. But creating a complete and total economic and military world of “all against all” is against everything that has contributed to the positives of the world we now live in. Russia and China continue chipping away westward and eastward by force. The history of the 20th century is clear in its lessons that this situation places these regions of the world in danger, and that America’s safety and the world’s security cannot be shielded from it over time. We give our indirect assistance and diplomacy in the world to keep the peace and maintain its postwar order, but also to prevent having to give true blood and toil later. Instability and conflict in the Middle East never does cease to pose the risk of getting out of control and creating more terrorist groups that could pose risk to America and Americans. More effort will be needed and more of our own deterrence will be necessary to back our diplomacy. But our allies need us, and we need them to defend against tyranny and maintain our security and our world. We must show that we are on the same side.
Which brings us to some practical realistic questions. Even though we must stand with our allies. Does that mean that our alliances are perfect, and everyone contributes what they should? No. Is there a need for more effective government, governmental reform and fiscal responsibility? Yes. Are there problems with average working Americans that have been left behind as the world has changed? Yes. Are there economic issues that are creating hardships of affordability for all Americans? Absolutely. The fact that these issues have been somewhat neglected is part of the reason we see more radical approaches to these issues today. But our approach must be one of solutions that are not temporary band aids or ones that are beholden to radical partisanship.
To eliminate or ignore components of a system that has contributed so much to our freedom and rule of law at home and abroad, to “throw the baby out with the bathwater” so to speak, is irresponsible and dangerous. That applies to all of us on the political spectrum. As great as this country is we must continue to build upon it as those before us did, as well as build and reform the world that has enabled us to have the opportunity for so much.
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