Will the United States retain it's status as the world's superpower for the foreseeable future?

[Tanngrisnir]

It takes several things to be a super power.
1. A strong economy
2. A large population
3. Strong allies
4. Enough natural resources to sustain you military should you be isolated from your sources
5. A commitment to have and maintain a strong military
6. A first rate education system
7. Enough food production to feed your nation

Only the United States has these.

Some mentioned Russia. Without nukes they would rank below Poland on the power range. They have no economy, a lousy education system, no allies, and no military budget.

Some mentioned China. They produce enough food to feed 25% of their population, they totally lack natural resources, their economy is almost totally dependent on trade with the US, they have no allies, and their education system at the higher levels is second rate.

And the luck of geographic placement that makes us almost impossible to attack with conventional means.

 

[Nickyjo]

As long as Trump is President the answer is yes.

True, his admiration for dictators should usher in a new era of stability, much like the Axis Powers, moving away from the weak democracies of the world. Can’t wait for his 4th if July speech. Too bad he couldn’t get the tanks to roll thru DC.

 

[Amelia]

It takes several things to be a super power.
1. A strong economy
2. A large population
3. Strong allies
4. Enough natural resources to sustain you military should you be isolated from your sources
5. A commitment to have and maintain a strong military
6. A first rate education system
7. Enough food production to feed your nation

Only the United States has these.

Some mentioned Russia. Without nukes they would rank below Poland on the power range. They have no economy, a lousy education system, no allies, and no military budget.

Some mentioned China. They produce enough food to feed 25% of their population, they totally lack natural resources, their economy is almost totally dependent on trade with the US, they have no allies, and their education system at the higher levels is second rate.

China owns our debt and the U.S. goes to its knees without China's rare earth minerals.

China already has allies, and some of our allies may defect to China.

Whatever you consider "total dependence" on trade with the U.S. they are the leader on 5G, they are building the multi-continent BRI, and our former faithful trading partners are looking to increasing trade with China so that they won't be dependent on the whims of Trump. Countries like Mexico are stalling Trump as well as they can and looking to China for new markets since the U.S. could be closed tomorrow if Trump gets up on the wrong side of the bed.

 

[Frigidweirdo]

Will the United States retain it's status as the world's superpower for the foreseeable future?

Feel free to explain your choice if you want.

Maybe for a few years. It depends on what happens.

China is rising. The US needs allies, which it is seriously angering right now. Without those allies, it will not be a superpower.

 

[BahamaBob]

China owns our debt and the U.S. goes to its knees without China's rare earth minerals.

China already has allies, and some of our allies may defect to China.

Whatever you consider "total dependence" on trade with the U.S. they are the leader on 5G, they are building the multi-continent BRI, and our former faithful trading partners are looking to increasing trade with China so that they won't be dependent on the whims of Trump. Countries like Mexico are stalling Trump as well as they can and looking to China for new markets since the U.S. could be closed tomorrow if Trump gets up on the wrong side of the bed.

China owns about $1 trillion of our national debt. The US won't let them withdraw it in one wack. They will simply do like they did for Iran's money. It is always the person with the debt who is in control. You can tell them to whistle for their money. What can they do.

The US has many times more rare minerals in reserve than China.

You'll need to name China's allies. You assertion that "some of our allies may defect to China" is without any foundation or intelligent thought.

I see your TDS is in full bloom. News flash, Mexico already caved.

 

[LosAngelesAngel]

~ It's likely our grandchildren will see a very different America - not a better America . The march towards global socialist big government will continue. In the west the EU & UN are pushing this agenda. In the east it's China and likely soon North Korea . I envision a future White House with two flags - USA & Chinese .
Donald Trump is merely slowing down this progression. He is 25 years too late .

 

[Cardinal]

The seeds of our demise as a global superpower began in the 80's, but we were carried along for the next near-forty years by the "great gift" we were given in the aftermath of WWII. Trump is undoing that gift, and with that we will see other countries overtake us in our lifetime, economically and militarily.

 

[TheParser]

The United States of America will continue to be the world's superpower until about the year 2100 and then start to decline rapidly.

No other nation will ever be the power that the United States was.

The United States was, indeed, a unique nation in the history of this tortured world.

Hopefully, by 2100 or so, human beings will be starting to colonize other planets or at least the moon.

 

[Fledermaus]

By century's end? It's more imminent than that. The process is unstoppable. Just a generation ago the world was agog at the US making diplomatic overtures to a bound-up insular China still trying to climb out of 'developing' status and today Trump is trying to negotiate a trade agreement with them. The American dominance that began after WW2 will be the shortest-lived hegemony in history.

Many Americans cannot accept the fact the US dominance (In the west) post WWII was mostly due to being the only major power that hadn't gone through complete hell during the war.

 

[Rexedgar]

the lack of American education in the areas of science and math is pretty alarming. a new discovery could turn the tables pretty quickly.

You could stop there...

And the luck of geographic placement that makes us almost impossible to attack with conventional means.

As technology evolved, geography is not the factor it once was.

The United States of America will continue to be the world's superpower until about the year 2100 and then start to decline rapidly.

No other nation will ever be the power that the United States was.

The United States was, indeed, a unique nation in the history of this tortured world.

Hopefully, by 2100 or so, human beings will be starting to colonize other planets or at least the moon.

What about nations/empires that preceded us?

 

[Apocalypse]

For the foreseeable future? Absolutely. But during the next century and further than that, who knows. (Although still most likely that would be the case)

 

[TheParser]

You could stop there...



As technology evolved, geography is not the factor it once was.




What about nations/empires that preceded us?

I am no historian, of course.

But no empire in history has been so powerful and worldwide in influence. Every other nation hangs on our every word and move.

Surely, the Roman and Spanish and British empires never reached our level.

Sadly, some Americans think that we are exempt from the rule of history that nations rise -- and eventually fall.



Have a nice new week!

 

[Amelia]

China owns about $1 trillion of our national debt. The US won't let them withdraw it in one wack. They will simply do like they did for Iran's money. It is always the person with the debt who is in control. You can tell them to whistle for their money. What can they do.

The US has many times more rare minerals in reserve than China.

You'll need to name China's allies. You assertion that "some of our allies may defect to China" is without any foundation or intelligent thought.

I see your TDS is in full bloom. News flash, Mexico already caved.

Mexico stalled. They continued with what they were already doing, which of course Trump declared to be a new development. And now they're discussing exploring other options, including increasing their trade with China.

 

[Moderate Right]

Will the United States retain it's status as the world's superpower for the foreseeable future?

Feel free to explain your choice if you want.

Your post implies that we are the number one superpower in the world. For a long time we have shared that with other countries as evidenced with the United Nations Security Council five members who have veto power. During the cold war we never really knew who would win between the Soviet Union and us. There were also no guarantees that we could beat China. Your post also doesn't address the fact that there are two main definitions, militarily and economically or if you want to bunch the two together.

 

[antiquity]

I voted yes... but I worry if we can continue being the top dog if democrats gain total power and start defense cuts in favor of things like health care, education and welfare for illegal aliens. Then it will be the' US will recede'.....:3oops:

 

[Jredbaron96]

Your post implies that we are the number one superpower in the world.

We are.

For a long time we have shared that with other countries as evidenced with the United Nations Security Council five members who have veto power.

And we ignored the UN on many occasions.

During the cold war we never really knew who would win between the Soviet Union and us.

While in Europe the Soviets certainly had the upper hand, they were outclassed in every other field, and neither of us would win a nuclear war.

There were also no guarantees that we could beat China.

Depends on what you mean by "beat".

Your post also doesn't address the fact that there are two main definitions, militarily and economically or if you want to bunch the two together.

Military capability is heavily reliant on economics.

 

[Tangmo]

By century’s end, the US will be like Russia is now, a dying economic backwater, but still semi-relevant because of our nuclear arsenal. China will have replaced us as the dominant world power, and the world will descend into tyranny.

That's not a post, it's a Hollywood manuscript.

 

[Fledermaus]

Military capability is heavily reliant on economics.

A maxim going back to Sun Tsu and the Romans....

The sinews of war are infinite money.
- Marcus Tullius Cicero

 

[GodlessBrandy]

Will the United States retain it's status as the world's superpower for the foreseeable future?

Feel free to explain your choice if you want.

Yes. But as history has taught us, power shifts. Eventually someone else will rise to power. Maybe not in the foreseeable future, maybe not for another century, but eventually, yes, it will happen.

Personally I would put my money on China. As China now holds a significant portion of foreign US Debt.

The U.S. debt to China is $1.13 trillion as of February 2019. That's 28% of the $4.02 trillion in Treasury bills, notes, and bonds held by foreign countries. The rest of the $22 trillion national debt is owned by either the American people or by the U.S. government itself

 

[GodlessBrandy]

The only debt that really matters is foreign debt. Money you owe to other people ( in this case other Countries ). What you owe internally, to yourself, is virtually meaningless. If China ever called in the debt the US would be thrown into another depression.

 

[Tangmo]

Unless something very drastic happens to alter the economic and military trajectories of the world's first tier powers, the USA has about another decade as an effective monopolar military and economic superpower. Then the world will slip back into a multipolar superpower situation with China and perhaps India emerging as effective economic rivals and regional superpowers. Russia will remain a very well armed but economically hamstrung power unless it can build alliances and markets in Eurasia and drive a wedge between Europe and North America.

The USA's monopolar, superpower position today is primarily based on economic and military power formerly supported by a strong network of alliances and dependencies. The US economy is changing for the worse and that degradation will eventually undermine your out of control military spending and thus your military hegemony. The economic challenges facing the USA are dwindling productive capacity, surplus labour pools which will grow worse as AI mediated automation and globalisation of production displaces more and more workers. Also you are losing your innovation and engineering primacy to places like India, Israel, Europe and China so out innovating your rivals will soon no longer be a realistic option. Abuse of the US dominated international financial system for political purposes such as sanctioning rivals and restraining trade is causing other nations to develop rival international financial systems which will be more resistant to US interference, so your financial might is also beginning to wane while your rivals adapt and wax in strength and independence.

This all means that the US will face real crises of economy, debt, employment, political and societal unrest and political isolation soon and these crises will rapidly erode liberties, democracy and social peace in America. This is the real threat to Americans. Your government and the private sector are conducting unprecedented surveillance on you. You police are being militarised. Your military is focusing on fighting in urban environments and mega-cities. Your governments are becoming less tolerant of dissent and more prone to using draconian measures in the pursuit of maintaining order, control and secrecy. The greatest threat to America short of a thermonuclear attack or a crippling cyber attack is a domestic one, not a foreign one. Your democracy is expertly managed kabuki theatre due to top-down democratic trends, Tweedism and gerrymandering. Your have already crept into an elite-controlled panopticon ruled by militarists, some remaining industrialists, powerful commercial interests, energy conglomerates, media and social-media conglomerates and extremely powerful private financial networks. 6.4 million Americans are already under some degree of penal supervision right now from incarceration to probation.

The next step will be an authoritarian police-state backed up by a significant fraction of a professional and permanent/standing military and a myriad of satellite private security, surveillance and mercenary companies which have been operating for the most part abroad but are now coming home to roost and are increasingly operating openly inside America. The superpower will turn its might inward before turning outward to regain lost hegemony abroad.

Cheers?
Evilroddy.

China has no problems of course.

Everything there is smooth, even, steady, constant, consistent, happy, harmonious, creative, innovative and so on.

CCP Boyz in Beijing are long term brilliant planners who are the masters of the universe they want everyone to think they are. Never mind each and every dynasty in China has failed and that the present CCP dynasty of grandiose emperors in business suits is a young and nervous dynasty of dictators who know this. Which is why the CCP dynasty of dictator-tyrants has by all accounts swindled the Chinese out of $5 Trillion in corruption since the year 2000, ie, they're getting all they can while they can before their own dynasty of fools collapses.

It's quite the world the CCP Fanboyz have going here. Beijing has no problems while USA is doomed. It helps the Fanboyz of course that CCP censorship and propaganda presents only good news while all bad news is rewritten or not written. In USA it's the opposite, ie, no good news ever sees the light of day.

 

[Tangmo]

The only debt that really matters is foreign debt. Money you owe to other people ( in this case other Countries ). What you owe internally, to yourself, is virtually meaningless. If China ever called in the debt the US would be thrown into another depression.

That's a persistent myth by people who have no clue how much CCP Boys in Beijing need USD$ to support their economy and their monopoly money, the RMB/Yuan which has been depreciating due to global markets since 2015. Two equity market crashes in summer and fall knocked $5 Trillion out of the markets while the Boyz in Beijing ran around in circles about it.

So CCP Boyz in Beijing sold $500 billion of US Treasuries from their foreign currency reserve to cover the yuan depreciation. Global markets inhaled the $500 billion with no impact on the USD$ and the USA economy or financial system. In other words nobody noticed the transactions. You missed it entirely in fact, as we can see from your post. It's understandable you and everyone else missed it because it was the big nothing it always was going to be -- then, presently and going forward.

Treasuries anyway have a fixed due date before which the US Treasury is not obligated to pay. All that happened to the $500 billion was global markets bought the different due dates of the Treasuries. It was so normal nobody noticed any of it until I mentioned it just now. You still have no clue however.

 

[SmartCat]

I expect China to achieve world hegemony by the end of this century, if not sooner. China has a homogeneous population with an average IQ of 105, and low rates of crime and illegitimacy. Intelligence is primarily determined genetically. Criminal and sexual behavior are largely influenced genetically. Diversity is not our strength; it is our source of social discord and political polarization.

I hope and believe that China will adopt a democratic government, a non coercive way to population growth, and that it will clean up the Chinese environment. I also hope that the Chinese government is not tempted to advance its interests with military aggression. The Chinese do not need war. History is moving in China's direction. If you have children, try to get them to learn Mandarin. As the sun sets on the United States it rises on China.


YouTube

 

[SmartCat]

President Trump is trying to make that happen. Guess what? Democrats hate him for it!

Like other Republicans Trump likes to raise military spending while cutting taxes for the rich. Like other Republicans Trump has the nerve to complain about deficit spending.

 

[ALiberalModerate]

China is destined to be the world's superpower again. It's a country with 1.4 billion of some of the hardest working, most ambitious people on the planet, its a given they will grow stronger than us at some point. We can't compete with that in the long run and frankly, it's futile for a country of 300 million to even try.

That said, they have never been a nation that sought to establish military bases around the world, or long distance colonies, they have always projected their military power regionally, and used their economic power to spread their influence globally. They are not an enemy, but rather a competitor.

Moreover, unless China makes huge changes in terms of freedom and human rights, the United States will always be a more envied country.