Is the United States wrong?

Question

I have recently heard that many people around the world consider themselves slaves to the United States. I read a statistic that said the United States has only 5% of the world's population yet they consume 31% of everything consumed in the world. Is the United States using its military and fiscal power to "enslave" the rest of the world to produce more for less. I recently watched a program about Afganistan and that since the Taliban has been removed from power the country's primary means of income has become exporting drugs to western europe and the united states. This is a new idea to me and I'm very interested in hearing your opinions.

Its really the United States and western Europe as that study said western europe has 6% of population and 29% of consumption. That means 11% of the world consumes almost 2/3 of the world's consumed resources. The golden rule is do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It looks like the real golden rule is much more prevelant in this world. he who has the gold makes the rules.

Answer 1

The United States can never be wrong. Are leaders can be wrong but not are country this is not blind patriotism it’s the truth and nothing or no one can destroy. America because they can never destroy freedom. We were founded by the greatest minds ever in the history of the world and are components steers from the the past and present generation. Not the united states this land is still perfect even if she has a few black eye from left socialist who wish to destroy American with the read language they change the banner collar to green but the doctrines the same.

Answer 2

You say the United States has 5% of the world's population, yet it consumes 31% of everything. That seems high, but I do believe American rather than FIX they will throw away and BUY NEW. The culture is made up of many people who believe the more you have, or the more expensive the car (or whatever) makes you a more SUCCESSFUL person. (of course that is wrong) but that is how many people think. Then there are so many choices when anyone goes to buy anything. Some COUNTRIES do not have, and many if they have do not have many choices.
I think the U S A is the only country that has the shops filled just before and during holidays. Many other countries use this holiday time to visit each other rather than shop.

Answer 3

OK, let's look at what would happen if we didn't "enslave" the world to make things for us to buy. So we stop buying things. Then all the people in the third world countries who are pulling themselves out of poverty by making things for us to buy are suddenly out of a job. How is that freedom from "enslavement"? Or bring it home instead - how about if we stop buying anything not made in America in order to avoid enslaving other countries. First, the store shelves would be practically empty. Second, what things were there would cost an arm and a leg. $10 socks, anyone?

Do you consider yourself a slave to your company or someone who works for a living?

And Afghanistan has been selling drugs for decades! How do you think the Taliban get their money? Do you think America is the only country buying drugs? And they've only been driven from power in a very small area of Afghanistan, since we didn't bother to finish the job we started!

Answer 4

Afghanistan has always been one of the leading international drug nations, so thats not really shocking at all.

Are we enslaving people? Of course not. IF anything we are slaves to what they produce, ever been to Wal-Mart?

You also have to understand that the reason we consume 31% is due to excess income that most Americans enjoy. Yes, the vast majority of Americans have excess income. We dont think so because "the jonses" have more than we do and we base this on what others have.

As militaristically enslaving, thats false and almost an outright lie if it weren't just an opinion. Thats not what we do and never have. For those that think we do, do a google search on what true imperialstic powers did throughout history.

We are the most humane, caring, altruistic world power the world has ever seen.

Answer 5

Such statistics can be misleading. For instance, in America, the cost of living is very high. For instance, if it's lunch time in America and you go get a burger - a greasy, teppid, artery-clogging fragment of diseased beef by-product on a soggy, bleached starchy bun - it'll cost you a couple bucks. If it's lunch time in India, and you go eat a large meal of rice, spiced lamb and vegetables, it sets you back a quarter. The cost difference is because of distorted currency exchange rates. The Indian is getting the better meal, and spending a comparable fraction of his income to get it, but, in economic dollar-and-cents calculations, is consuming much /less/ than the American, who will be dead of coronary heart disease in 30 years if he keeps eating like that.

Another example. Two identical lead-painted plastic toys are made in China. One is sold to a Chinese parent in China, for 1 yaun, the other is sold to an export company for 1 yuan, and shipped to the US, trucked from a port, stocked on a Wall-mart shelf, and sold to an American parent for $2.89 - both have consumed 1 small plastic toy, but the American has also 'consumed' the fuel oil and gas it took to ship it to Wall*Mart, and the 'service' of having it stacked on a shelf by an illegal immigrant. For that additional privillege, he has paid 18 times what the Cinese parent did - and 'consumed,' in economic terms, 18 times as much. But, if an identical toy, were manufactured in the US, using identical resources, it would cost, perhaps, $5, and an American buying such a toy would be consuming 30 times what the Chinese parent was 'consuming,' in dollar terms. Yet is recieving the same product, made with the same proportion of resources.

You can control for all this with 'purchasing power parity' calculations. By that standard, the Chinese economy - and thus Chinese 'consumption' is only slightly behind that of the US. That still constitutes a disparity - there are almost 4 times as many Chinese as Americans, and most live in relative poverty - but simply a disparity in development.

Answer 6

"Taliban has been removed from power the country's primary means of income has become exporting drugs to western europe and the united states." The problem with this statemednt is that you use the word "become" when it's been their primary export for hundreds of years.

5% comsuming 31% of world products? With China out numbering us in every class, I think not! Back to your research!

Answer 7

No, look at the economic impact on the rest of the world because of the United States, Many would not have a job and would be worse off without our consumption.

As far as afganistan, once the country becomes more stable industry will arise and things will be better--I would consider the drug issue as growing pains.

Answer 8

Well, it is just due to the fact that MEDC's (more economically developed countries) such as the U.S. are exploiting resources from 3rd world countries, not through military power; but just by putting them into a position where they must sell at very cheap prices or not sell at all.

If you were put in this situation what would you do? 9 out of 10 times people would sell to stay alive.

The U.S. doesn't need physical power but the fact that they have it means that they have the ability to police the world allowing them to choose who trades with whom.

The U.S. are consuming at a rate of 6:1 but this is because they control trade not exploitation of resources through military force.

Answer 9

..how is that possible when the US doesn't make anything (cars, jobs),everything has been exported . How are we going to consume anything with no job .If this was the 50's i could agree with you but East Asia has surpassed the United States by a long shot,They are responsible for a lot of economic ,environmental destruction.
...oh yeah we're slaves all right.
That was a good question(sorry for the rant).

Answer 10

The USA has started to use its military supremacy to black mail countries into bad deals since approx. 1960. On top of that, the CIA is incredibly busy to destabilize countries, to keep the Pentagon justified in its abnormal size. 786 military bases in over 40 countries (China has only 15, Russia only 17) antagonize the rest of the world, making sure, there won't be any peace in the world soon. Unfortunately, the military house of cards is coming down now, with over extension and demented leader ship.