This is my first post in sometime and it will not have any actionable trade ideas. But I think it is worth sharing my thoughts.
Anyone with an open mind or any interest to be intellectually challenged about the future, and the role that America will play in the global arena, needs to read Fareed Zakaria's book "The post-American World". Fareed does a great job painting a picture of how America has achieved great success politically, militarily, and economically over the past few hundred years. He goes further to explain the role that America has played in shaping the world as we know it today. Since America's great rise the world has become more interconnected then anytime in history. Although America has remained THE SUPERPOWER for many decades, a global world is presenting challenges that will need America to remain nimble and open to change. With rising nations like China and India with over 2.5 Billion people America is faced with new challenges and must acknowledge these nations and their desires. Gone are the days that America defines all policy's as to how the world should look and operate. Although we have had a great influence and have played a major role in the rise of the other countries we have to realize they may not have the same goals as we do.
As a superpower the U.S has experienced much prosperity and has wanted to share the American dream with the rest of the world. But at some point you have to draw a line between sharing and force feeding your beliefs on other nations. With powers such as the U.S garners it is very easy to become imperialistic, which when looking back on history has not fared very successful in the long run. The U.S has to acknowledge that the world has changed and that we must change with it, if we want to remain a important player. We need to collaborate and open our borders, not isolate ourselves from these rising nations. During the countries great rise it was because of this openness to race, religion, immigration, free trade, etc., that has led to the vast prosperity that this country has experienced.
If we wish to continue to be respected as a world power gone are the days of "do as I say, not as I do", if we wish to set policy that the world should operate under, then we too need to follow them. But they need to be formed with representation from the rest of the world as well. And yes there will be compromise, the American way is not always the right way, as shocking as the may sound.
Don't get me wrong, I love America and believe in our ideals. But I think that everyone can take a step back and realize that just like people countries make mistakes too. I think that America is more then capable of making the necessary changes to remain a super power in the global arena among the "rising rest" that Fareed Zakaria talks about in his book.
We have many issues on our plate now that will take time to work through, and we may have to feel a little pain as a nation to get through them, but we will come out stronger because of it.
I am bullish the United States in the long term and I sincerely believe that we will make the right decisions as a nation that will propel prosperity in this country and the rest of the world for generations to come. Just realize that it is not going to happen overnight.
With that said go read "The Post-American World" by Fareed Zakaria.
