A question about the slipping status of the US...?

Question

Yesterday, a question was asked about which country would be the successor to the United States when she loses her status as the greatest superpower. The answers were varied, but many simply stated, "Will never happen".

I'm interested in thoughts about the US losing its title as the most powerful nation. So my question is, why is the number one spot the only acceptable position for Americans? Is there a concern that we will be enslaved if we are not #1? Is that what you consider all other nations to be that are not the most powerful?

Throughout history, nations have risen and fallen. This is not a question about whether or not it will happen...I'm asking about why Americans feel the blind NEED to be number one...

Answer 1

No one stays on the top forever,its a historical fact .
70 y ago ,uk & france were the biggest superpowers in the world,before them were the Muslims and before were the persians(Iran) and the romans,also the ussr was even bigger than the us but they falled, ,,,etc
all those were superpowers and they never thought that they will fall one day,but they did!!!
also usa has reached the peack of its cerve as a superpower,and its starting its downfall .
It doesnt matter if u think that usa is too strong to loose its ranking as the world superpower,all those pwers were thinking the same also,and thats why they fall.

Answer 2

So much misinformation is posted here that is supposed to pass for fact...
1) The US education system IS in bad shape...the result of declining standards, poor teachers and low expectations (self esteem over actual results is never a winning formula).
However, the US is NOT suffering in terms of 'health'.
No one has higher standards of medical care.
If the argument is that it is not readily available to all - that is a different argument.
2) The US remains the worlds only 'superpower' not just because of its superior military, but because of the combination of commerce,technology, AND military might.
This is the freeest society on the planet.
THAT is what makes the US great.
The 'progressive' movement in this country is hell-bent on eliminating all the things that make America what it is, so that it becomes more like secular progressive countries like Holland , Sweden, Norway etc.
Take a look at the unemployment rates,productivity rates, taxation levels, standard of living etc in those countries and ask yourself 'why would I want to live there?'
If your answer is 'I like mediocre healthcare without getting billed directly, or I like living in small cramped houses that look exactly like the ones everyone else lives in....'
These 'number 2' type countries will definitely be more to your taste.
(When did wanting to be the best become a bad thing?)

Answer 3

We as a people strive to be Number 1. And even if another Nation rises up to be in it's own right a super power we will still be one. Just like during the Cold War when we raced neck and neck with Russia. I see Russia rising again, but it will be better and stronger then it was during the Cold War, because it learned to give it's people more freedom.

The same will happen with China.

So eventually there will be three super powers and there is nothing wrong with that, since there will be more checks and balances because of it. And the World needs these checks and balances to keep us all in line.

But yes even if we are in a small decline, we will rise again, like Russia, to be stronger then ever.

Edit: Okay - It's because we are people who will never allow ourselves to be kept down. We need to teach this to our young people, since it's the legacy of our nation to be strong and always fight (Not just with guns and bombs) for what we believe in.

Answer 4

It's this crazy thing about wanting to be number 1. What's the point and what's the difference.? China owns us, lock stock and barrel because American investors (who claim to be super patriots I'm told) so no harm in selling us out to China for the bucks.

Most of the people who have this number 1 mentality have never even seen the basic statistics. We do not compare well to the world in many regards. We have very poor standards of health and education. The claim of being number one seems to give some people a giant thrill, but to me it's as shallow as one of those foam rubber fingers at a football game. Means nothing.

I long for the day when we want the whole world to benefit. Nationalism has entered the massively sucky phase, and could be the death of us all.

Answer 5

This question of the "slipping status" of the #1 superpower appears to be inquiring about her Freedom, the only sustainable foundation of power. The USA was founded in freedom and all other great nation's followed her standard of a constitutional democracy to great power. Though she had a great many vices, including slavery and many great sins and immoral excesses, yet the great costs of these evils were swallowed by the rewards of her tenacious hold to the standard of freedom. As she rose in power, the costs of these vices emerged as significant obstacles, which she continually faced and resolved on the side of freedom. The other great nations followed her standards, abolishing slavery and endorsing general human rights. While some nations defied freedom and turned to more destructive paths (WWI and WWII), America remained firm in her resolve for defending her freedoms. History continued in this fashion and established her as a clearly superior and sustainable superpower (unlike the USSR which could not sustain such power without military conquest).

So the question of her power looks to the foundation of her power and asks: is the US losing her freedoms? In general, despite the Patriot Act and other trivial and temporary erosions of freedom, she remains completely committed to her freedoms. Americans intrinsically know this, and it has little to do with the need to be number one.

The only risks to her economy and her power are from the wealth "redistribution" of her tax system, the debt/weight of her Social Security program (which is clearly failing), and the liberal Social Health Care movement. Those who follow the power of the USA watch the political status of these social agendas very closely.

Without freedom, no other country can win the #1 title except by default by an American economic fall to insignificance. If her economy collapsed and military was downsized as a result, then all other countries would be hurt seriously. Her security and wealth would be in jeopardy to envious nations. This economic fall would set a worldwide depression in motion similar to the effect of her Great Depression on all nations before WWII. Her military fall would open up military conquest opportunities worldwide for ambitious dictators. The rising powers of India and perhaps China depend on the power of America in order to overcome the obstacles created by their lack of freedom, and substantial corruption.

Answer 6

being number one is always a temporary position.
i think the present slack in the US status is temporary, and if the US is able to solve the Iraqi issue in a way that will be considered successful it will regain it's status.
however there are several blocks and nations that could in the future replace the US as the leading international power:
The European union could, but the seem to lack the central government and the will to become one.
China could become a super power, but I think the Chinese people will increase their demands for personal freedoms and higher standard of living and slow the drive for military and political supremacy.
Russia could rebound, as it is doing now, from the economic slump of the communist era, and use this economic power to reestablish themselves as the world's most powerful nation.

Answer 7

We shall always be a superpower because there is no country that has more defensive missiles or advance military. We may be slipping in the economic category because of the trade imbalance with China.

Answer 8

The division among our citizens, political fighting, the ACLU, eroding morality, abuse of our freedoms, liberal lawyers and judges has caused us to lose the esteem of the world. Most of us are good honest citizens but the crud has taken over and we are all going to be hurt if we don't wake up.

To believe that we can go on like we've been going and maintain our liberty or esteem is naive.

Answer 9

The so called "slipping staus' of the USA exists in the minds of those who WANT us to fail; and many of them are right here in the USA.

Answer 10

It is a matter of pride. Why wouldn't we want to be number one. Do you strive to be number two at the things you do? It is ingrained in Americana's to be the best they can be.