People sometimes raise the question of whether the United States of America will still be a dominant power in the 21st century, or China will bypass the US in 2024? Before debating this question, it is essential to understand what is a “superpower”, and what are the requirements of being a “superpower”. Superpower is a state with a dominant position in international world with its military, economic, and political power. Throughout history, superpowers always had the ability to control other countries through military conquest, economic dominance, or political influence. This paper is going to argue that the international system in the 21th century will be a unipolar system and it will be the United States of America because the American influence is invincible, China’s economy isn’t actually growing that rapidly as it looks, and the US has more great power allies that China does.
One simple question will express this main point. If you had a choice and there is no language disabilities, do you want to live in the US or China? Most people will answer the US. Since July 4, 1776, American influence had totally changed the world and started the process of domination. During World War I and World War II, without the US aid and support, the British and French wouldn’t have a slightly chance of winning. We can see that the US played a major role in history. If you look outside, there is a great possibility of seeing a 7-11 or MacDonald’s. This is also a form is influence from the US. Although people might not feel it, the idea of America had already rooted their country and it became necessary for their lives. Besides daily life and history, current events are also dominated by the US. For example, the Ukraine-Russia conflict that is on going might lead to World War III, and the US is the one solving it. In this world, only the United States of America has this ability and it will have it for the entire century. American influence is now invincible and it had rooted in many countries and people. Therefore, USA will still be a superpower in the 21st century.
If there is a choice offered, will you buy a product that was made in China or made in US? Most people will buy the US product because they trust the US technology more than China’s. In the past decades, although China’s GDP (Gross domestic product) had been increasing rapidly, there are still many problems that makes it suffer. The great Chinese population will decrease the growth of Chinese economy. Another reason for Chinese economy suffers is because Chinese people mostly do subcontract work instead of leading a big company. For example, according to the article “American didn’t Decline. It went Global”, although China has the greatest export of electronics, it does not all mean that Chinese firms are world leaders in electronics. Instead, most of the profit will flow to the company they work for, and big portions of those companies are located in the US. After making a big loop around the world, all money is back to the US, and the Americans are the ones who gained. China won’t have a chance to change and become a superpower in the 21st century due to its economy status. Thus, US will lead the world’s economy and remain as the only superpower.
Last but not least, most superpowers in the past had other great powers as their allies to support them. For example, during the 19th century, Russia had the Warsaw Pact; the existence of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) helped US becoming a superpower; during the colonial era, the British Empire had its colonies to support its economy and have the most territories. Yet, China is a totally different case. Currently, it doesn’t have any great powers as allies to support it. It only have some small countries to supports its natural gas and oil. However, becoming a superpower often requires some great powers assistant, and China does not fit this case. Therefore, China has a lower chance of becoming a superpower in the 21st century. The US still has NATO as its support and will still be the only superpower in the 21st century.
In the 21st century, the international system will be unipolar and dominated by the US. Even though some people think China has a chance of being a superpower, its influence, economy, and allies are way behind the US. Therefore, the US will still be the only superpower and China is unlikely to have a chance to come close to it.
One simple question will express this main point. If you had a choice and there is no language disabilities, do you want to live in the US or China? Most people will answer the US. Since July 4, 1776, American influence had totally changed the world and started the process of domination. During World War I and World War II, without the US aid and support, the British and French wouldn’t have a slightly chance of winning. We can see that the US played a major role in history. If you look outside, there is a great possibility of seeing a 7-11 or MacDonald’s. This is also a form is influence from the US. Although people might not feel it, the idea of America had already rooted their country and it became necessary for their lives. Besides daily life and history, current events are also dominated by the US. For example, the Ukraine-Russia conflict that is on going might lead to World War III, and the US is the one solving it. In this world, only the United States of America has this ability and it will have it for the entire century. American influence is now invincible and it had rooted in many countries and people. Therefore, USA will still be a superpower in the 21st century.
If there is a choice offered, will you buy a product that was made in China or made in US? Most people will buy the US product because they trust the US technology more than China’s. In the past decades, although China’s GDP (Gross domestic product) had been increasing rapidly, there are still many problems that makes it suffer. The great Chinese population will decrease the growth of Chinese economy. Another reason for Chinese economy suffers is because Chinese people mostly do subcontract work instead of leading a big company. For example, according to the article “American didn’t Decline. It went Global”, although China has the greatest export of electronics, it does not all mean that Chinese firms are world leaders in electronics. Instead, most of the profit will flow to the company they work for, and big portions of those companies are located in the US. After making a big loop around the world, all money is back to the US, and the Americans are the ones who gained. China won’t have a chance to change and become a superpower in the 21st century due to its economy status. Thus, US will lead the world’s economy and remain as the only superpower.
Last but not least, most superpowers in the past had other great powers as their allies to support them. For example, during the 19th century, Russia had the Warsaw Pact; the existence of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) helped US becoming a superpower; during the colonial era, the British Empire had its colonies to support its economy and have the most territories. Yet, China is a totally different case. Currently, it doesn’t have any great powers as allies to support it. It only have some small countries to supports its natural gas and oil. However, becoming a superpower often requires some great powers assistant, and China does not fit this case. Therefore, China has a lower chance of becoming a superpower in the 21st century. The US still has NATO as its support and will still be the only superpower in the 21st century.
In the 21st century, the international system will be unipolar and dominated by the US. Even though some people think China has a chance of being a superpower, its influence, economy, and allies are way behind the US. Therefore, the US will still be the only superpower and China is unlikely to have a chance to come close to it.