Why the United States Matters

By Santiago Trillo.

The United States is still derided as a “young”, “inexperienced” nation -as opposed to the “wise”, “experienced”, “cultivated” Europe- or, worse still, made responsible for all that is evil in the world, from poverty to global warming, from terrorism to financial crisis. This is the price America pays for being the most successful nation in history.

It is the only modern nation claiming to believe in liberty that has been true to this principle from its foundation. Its democratic and republican model has never been in danger of being hijacked by a dictatorship. For over two hundred and thirty years, Americans have chosen periodically, with no ruptures, who is to rule them. No other nation has enjoyed this democratic stability for so long since the Age of Enlightenment. No other nation has so consistently and constantly defended democracy as the least evil of all forms of government.

Americans enjoy a deeply rooted belief in holding government accountable and in letting citizens take care of their own lives. Thus, their preference for limited government and private enterprising. And it is because of these beliefs that the United States has become the de facto leader of the World.

What does this leadership mean? Are we living in an American Empire? Not really. In a way, it is a reluctant empire: no military conquest, no colonies working for a metropolis, no second class citizens in overseas dominions. If anything, it is an empire of progress and stability. The world would be totally different without America.

First of all, let us take a look at the world of ideas. The United States has been the main source of intellectual ideas in the last century, ideas which have spread all over the world. As opposed to common perceptions, the United States is not the source of uniform thought (pro-western, pro-capitalist, pro-democracy), but also of critical ideologies: anti-globalization, environmentalism, political correctness, third-worldism, anti-colonialism, pacifism, post-modernism…

Second, its republican model of independent powers, free press, and powerful citizenship has prevented extremists from ever having real power. The primary process, where voters choose their candidates, is a strong corrective against demagogues. No censorship effort has ever succeeded in the United States. Citizens are used to expressing their views freely and request from their representatives that they adhere to their principles and respond to their needs. And the checks and balances of the American Constitution have been copied in many of the modern constitutions around the world (sometimes even successfully).

Third, it is an ongoing experiment on how limited government intervention brings about prosperity and economic success. The United States GDP makes up almost 30% of world GDP, and by defending free trade and private enterprising it has consistently shown that people are better than government at providing services, generating wealth and improving their own lives. Four of the ten largest corporations in the world are American. Over 60% of international trade is carried out in dollars. It is the largest importer in the world, and has promoted major increases in free trade through the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) and later the WTO (World Trade Organization).

Fourth, the United States provide the greatest part of innovation and development that takes place in the world. Almost 30% of the world’s spending on research comes from the United States, and most new products and ideas we profit from come from American companies. American universities are the most respected in the world, the number of American Nobel prizes dwarfs that of any other nation. Many common appliances use American technology; our life has been made easier by American products, from jeans to microwave ovens. Personal Computers, the Internet, and the greater part of IT innovations are American in origin.

Fifth, since World War I, the United States has taken upon itself the role of defending its allies like no other power ever did before. No empire fought for its colonies, and no nation fought for its allies, as the United States has done. Europe is not protected by Europeans alone, but by U.S. soldiers, weapons, technology, logistics, and strategy. The West would not have won the Cold War without the United States leading the fight.

Sixth, America still is a beacon of hope for people all over the world. It has been a most generous nation in terms of accepting immigrants, integrating them, and providing them with freedom. Is there any other country on earth with so much diversity of origins, so many cultural heritages, and so many immigrants with relevant positions in all walks of life? Let us remember the number of scientists, artists and intellectuals fleeing the Nazi and Soviet regimes that chose the United States as their new homeland.

Finally, there is one more reason why the United States matters. In every moment in history there has been a leading power to whom all others look for guidance on how to act. Is there any better alternative than the Empire of Liberty?

Santiago Trillo is the author of the blogs “Sarah Palin en Español” and “Rillot in English.”

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