Written by Frank Li
Despite many inherent problems, America remains the best country on earth, in which not only to live, but also to “make it” – I am a modern-day example (My American Dream Has Come True). Let’s work harder to keep it that way!
To make America great again, Americans must better understand both America and the world, of which America is merely a part, and we are all more inter-connected today than ever!
1. How was America formed?
Many disenfranchised Europeans sailed to this land, occupied it by force, including killing many natives (i.e. the American Indians), and finally formed their own country, which ultimately became “the United States of America” in 1776!
If you are an American idealist (e.g. a human rights activist or democracy proponent), you should denounce your American citizenship first before passionately pursuing your cause. Why? Because America, as a country, is not even legitimate – America was built on a piece of occupied land appropriated from its rightful owners, the American Indians!
I am not an idealist. So I accept America as it is, warts and all, with one critical condition: America must be reasonable with other [ancient] countries (e.g. China and Syria) on such issues as human rights and free elections – Let them work out these complex issues by themselves, over time! For more, read: Democracy: to be or not to be?
2. What was so special about America at its birth?
America was founded with two key characteristics:
- Liberty: with a limited government, American capitalism based on rugged individualism flourished, resulting in numerous successful individuals (e.g. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford)!
- Abundance: America was built on a vast geographic area that was not only rich (i.e. basically un-farmed), but also replete with natural resources (e.g. coal and oil).
Most importantly, America was built as a representative republic, not a democracy! For more, read: America: What Did Our Founding Fathers Do, Actually?
Unfortunately, America was also “built” on slavery, which is a worst form of racism (second only to genocide), and [gun] violence. These two big problems have been accompanying America to this date.
3. How did America do through 1945?
Exceptionally well, overall! America succeeded over all other countries, dramatically rising to the top of the world!
What happened to Europe? Europe was rising throughout the 19th century, but America was rising faster and better. Continuing into the 20th century, Europe became very self-consumed with WWI and WWII, while America kept moving strongly ahead.
What about Asia? It did not fare as well! Two examples:
- China was self-destructive throughout the period while America was rising. In addition, China was badly beaten by the Europeans and Japanese, both militarily and economically.
- Japan thrived for about 100 years from 1840 to 1940, and then made the fatal mistake of attacking the U.S. at Pearl Harbor.
Very notably, the world must be very thankful for America’s decisive involvement in WWII, without which today the Chinese would likely be speaking Japanese, while the French would likely be speaking German.
Equally notably, America did address the racism/slavery issue with the hugely deadly Civil War, though without completely solving the problem, even to this date.
4. How did America do from 1946 to 2000?
America succeeded spectacularly while failing badly at the same time! Let me elaborate on both the success and failure, respectively.
4.1 America’s success
After WWII, America dominated the world for two main reasons:
- America’s two major economic competitors, Germany and Japan, destroyed themselves through the war. Both of them did come back strongly after the war, but it was too little, too late to compete against America.
- The entire East, led by the USSR and seconded by China, self-destructed by continuing/adopting a system called communism, which proved to be a total disaster.
In other words, America was left as the only country still standing, making and inventing virtually everything, and dictating prices. As a result, America not only finally ended the Great Depression, but also created unprecedented prosperity throughout the second half of the 20th century.
4.2 America’s failure
While America’s superb capitalism has been driving the economy, democracy, as we practice it today, has been progressively driving America deeper and deeper into Democratic Socialism as well as Democratic Imperialism – We became victims of our own success! However, no big problems showed up before the 21st century, because America, as the virtual economic monopoly, could afford anything and everything, even democracy!
Specifically, three time-bombs against America were planted during this period:
- The MIC (Military-Industrial Complex). For more, read: Fixing the Military-Industrial Complex!
- JFK signed Executive Order 10988, allowing public-sector workers to unionize against their employers, the people of the United States of America! This communistic act (i.e. master-servant relationship reversal) did help millions of public-sector workers join the ranks of the middle class, at the cost of America’s future though: It ensured a spectacular failure of America down the road, city by city, state by state, as we have been experiencing over the past decade, with no end in sight! For more, read: Detroit, Public-Sector Unions, and JFK.
- LBJ’s Great Society was officially the start of new slavery in America: pay without work! For more, read: New Slavery in America: Pay without Work!
5. What happened to America at the turn of the 21st century?
The bottom fell out, when BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) led by China began to show their strength!
The rise of BRICS not only signaled the end of America’s virtual economic monopoly, it also revealed the naked truth about America’s political system: It does not work! As a matter of fact, democracy is failing in America for the same reason it failed in Greece, ancient or modern: debt!
5.1 China’s rise
America must be very concerned about the rise of China for two main reasons:
- Economically: Unlike America’s former two chief economic competitors (i.e. Germany and Japan), China has both the size and strength to really compete against America.
- Politically: Unlike the East vs. the West before the Cold War ended in 1991, China’s political system is, overall, slightly better than America’s, in my humble opinion. For more, read: Towards an Ideal Form of Government (Version 3).
Three informative readings on China:
- “Communist China”, Really?
- Chinese Presidency: An Earned Kingship for 10 Years.
- The Legitimacy of the Chinese Government.
America still has two huge advantages over China: abundance of natural resources and vastly more advanced capitalism. However, they may be inadequate to compensate for the inferiority of America’s political system, which is totally self-destructive!
5.2 America’s self-destruction
The three time-bombs listed earlier began to detonate after the turn of the 21st century.
Both Democratic Socialism and Democratic Imperialism have proven to be unbearably destructive to America over the past 15 years. As a result, many hidden problems not only have re-surfaced, but also have been greatly exacerbated, with racism (Human Races) and [gun] violence (America: Guns vs. Alcohol) topping the list.
Worse yet, we have been blaming everybody but ourselves! One of the biggest scapegoats is globalization.
6. Globalization
Globalization has been an integral part of America throughout our history, starting with slavery! Slavery was the worst form of unfair trade, from which America profited hugely!
Another example: America’s exceptional prosperity throughout the second half of the 20th century was the result of not only globalization, but also a global environment that was exceptionally good for America, thanks, primarily, to WWII.
As other nations find their own path to success and pursue their “inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”, America must learn to cope with the new norm!
More globalization is the natural result of human evolution. Strive to participate and benefit from it or be left behind in isolation and eventual failure!
7. Closing
Overall, America remains a great country, not only in itself, but also as a “giant leap for mankind”!
Unfortunately for America, two of our biggest problems today (i.e. racism and gun violence) can be traced back to our birth in 1776: we have never solved them and are still struggling with them.
Fortunately for America, I believe I have the most accurate diagnosis for America (Diagnosis for America (Version 3)), as well as the best solution (Solution for America (Version 3)). But will America listen?
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