America, The Declining Superpower? A Discussion on China’s and Russia’s Challenge to American Power

Today, the United States of America remains a unipolar-super power that is unmatched when compared to any other country in the world. The meaning ‘unipolar-superpower’ refers to a single country that is found to be unique (not like others) and unmatched as a world power. The concept of power when defining the United States, when compared to other countries, refers to America's military might, global reach, the global influence of American agendas and ideas, and America’s richness as a nation. Recently, we have heard through the news media, that aims to sell the idea of America being a superpower in decline because of the debt and borrowing done on an annual basis. Those critics are right to be concerned, but today, I want to go beyond just the topical discussions we already know about. For some to look at America as a declining power that is on the cusp of a clasp, in my opinion, are lacking the full clarity of what makes the United States a unipolar-super power. To be clearer here, we have been watching and learning as nations such as China, and Russia attempts to challenge the United States' status as a unipolar-superpower. Let's look deeper into what I believe to be each of those nations driving motivators for their actions against or for the U.S.

Russia:

Russia (back then called the USSR) and the United States, once allies to fight against Hitler’s Nazi Germany during WWII, both emerged as bipolar (meaning two unique superpowers) superpowers at the end of the wars amongst all other nations. We all know what happened next, the Cold War happened. The Cold War was a war of ideas, beliefs, and technology advances through space travel, weapon development, and nuclear weapons, which culminated after the United States beat Russia to the moon, and outspent them on military growth, power, and global influence. Ultimately, the former (USSR) now Russia clasped and have been working hard under Putin to regain the influence, and world stage they once held. Russia (previously the USSR) was a country that had endured many invasions, on their borders, as their enemies had hopes of taking their land, but the Russian people/government fought back and was able for every attempt to repeal their enemies. One historical trauma that came from those past times of constant invasion attempts throughout history on Russia and still stands today, is their mindset towards ensuring a buffer zone to protect against any future invasion or attacks. According to the article titled, ‘The creation of the Soviet buffer zone,’ we learn that,

"The USSR to establish people's democracies ruled by Communist parties. Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Czechoslovakia were more or less brutally forced into the Soviet embrace. Nevertheless, the refusal in 1948 of the Yugoslav Communists to follow the line decreed by the Cominform showed that the USSR had some difficulty keeping control of all its satellite countries" (n.d, 2020).

During these times in the USSR where they created this ‘buffer zone’ with nations, they and the United States maintained an agreement that the USSR sphere of influence remained around the countries mentioned above, while the U.S. influence would remain clearly around certain parts of Europe. But, things started to change as NATO was created, the USSR clasped and became Russia, and former USSR satellite nations previously used as a buffer zone were joining NATO. In Russia's eyes such a move by the former USSR nations to join NATO, in essence, the United States, would allow American forces to be in Russia’s ‘backyard.’ Additionally, such a move for these smaller nations near Russia who joined NATO could lead to the United States placing missiles there and put Russia in direct range of American military power. Obviously, Russia wasn’t having that, and thus, why today we see a Russia with nuclear submarines regularly within the United States coastlines ready to retaliate, if so needed; The United States also has their aircraft carriers and submarines near Russian waters for the same effect. In essence, if either nation was to act militarily on each other, it would lead to mutual mass destruction of both the United States and Russia with millions of dead within minutes. Especially being that Russian and the United States both maintain the most nuclear warhead arsenals in the world, it wouldn’t be good for anyone. So, my analysis as a PH. D candidate in Public Policy on the topic of Russia, is that today’s Russia is working to reclaim their former glory as a unipolar-superpower in the world. The president of Russia, Putin, has said on many occasions that the fall of the USSR was one of the greatest failures in modern history. Putin's aim is not necessarily at this point to challenge the United States at every point of contention, but instead, increase their sphere of influence as a respectable power in the world. We all heard of the Russian annexation of Crimea, but what does that mean? It means to me that Russia for one was afraid of Ukraine and other nations around its’ buffer zone joining the NATO alliance. Remember, Ukraine has actively worked to become a NATO member in private, while in public openly saying that they want to remain independent of NATO. Crimea, was a heavily used port area as well, that Russia heavily used, but what would happen if that port and Ukraine became part of NATO; well, the United States would have had it as a port, while also further encroaching onto Russia's buffer zone. So, I believe Russia is actively working to undercut the United States in the world where they can, but ultimately want to increase their influence while rebuilding their buffer zone, and yes slowly re-built their superpower status. At this point, I conclude overall Russia is a threat to U.S. security, but not as much as the growing threat coming from the People's Republic of China.

China:

When it comes to the People's Republic of China, we would be crazy not to admit the great strides, success, and wealth China has amassed for their people and country. We learn and hear every day of the millions of Chinese people moving from poverty to middle class. But, when the U.S. government stated they 'welcome a peaceful rise of China,' let’s be real here, the U.S. had hoped Chinese ambitions would remain in China, and not the world. Instead, we have learned from both the U.S. government and the Chinese government with their actions, that they have plans to build their sphere of influence throughout Asian, and Europe. But wait, Europe and Asia have been America’s sphere of influence for decades. Yes, China is directly challenging America’s position as a unipolar-superpower, by building their artificial island in the South China sea, bullying nations such as Australia into allowing Chinese companies to permeate their business markets and dictate their internal policies, enacting laws in Hong Kong which resulted in their autonomous status removal, and spending billions of dollars through loans to poor nations in Africa to build infrastructure for an economy. The problem is China gives these billion-dollar loans to these poorer nations knowing they can’t pay them back, and in return take portion of land, develop it, and bring in, no not the African workers whose land it is, but Chinese people from the mainland to work the newly created jobs. Additionally, they require students in these poorer nations who received Chinese ballooned billion-dollar loans to learn Chinese while not adequately creating jobs for the African people lands they built upon. Lastly, China has been accused of continuing to steal other nation's intellectual property, while also using their wealth to buy allies, but will it work? My opinion is, I DO NOT think it will work. China has spent billions and billions on nations throughout the world, in hopes of building allies, but when COVID-19 came about and nations began to challenge China by accusing them of failing to act, none of these so-called allies jumped in to push back against the United States who regularly called the Chinese government out. Instead, we saw the U.S. conduct a strong push to build their allies to rebuke China, their ideas, and paint their agenda as expansionist. The fascinating thing is, the U.S. government approach is working. The United States has rallied Australia, England, and other major European nations to reject Chinese 5G cellphone infrastructure building companies. The U.S. government has also got India, and other Asian nations to come together to push back against what is perceived as Chinese aggressive expansionism. Overall, I believe, through my analysis that the Chinese government hopes are to change the tide from the American century, way of life and power to a Chinese century, and way of life. But, the problem is no one fully trusts the Chinese government due to their secrecy which surrounds their agenda, whereas, the United States, is kind of naïve and the agenda is more known. Even if a nation hates the United States, you know what you get with the U.S. government. On the other hand, no one really knows what the Chinese government plan is, what they hope to do, and if they are a friendly rising power. Nations across the world have already shown their willingness to join the U.S. against China, and the Chinese creation and militarization while claiming much of the South China Sea around the artificial island they built does not help them the matter. Instead, the U.S. is being seen as the primary unipolar power and only power that can effectively challenge the Chinese government and their expansionism tactics. Ultimately, I believe the Chinese government wants to not only become the new world unipolar-superpower, but they want to see a weakened United States. Such a state would mean the Chinese government could begin to remake/remodel the world according to their ideas and beliefs.

What I hope:

I hope that the U.S. and China can rise together. I hope that China and the U.S. can work together to build a better world. Think about all the good that can be done if the United States, China, and Russia were to work together for the good of the world. Currently, my wishes would be laughed at, mainly because each nation have their own agendas, and beliefs systems which they think drives them to act in the world. Because of this, the U.S. must also act in accordance, and be strong. Even with the rise of China, I believe the United States will remain the star, the unipolar-superpower. This nation is by far, not perfect, but I believe the mere fact that we are allowed to say, ‘This nation is not perfect’ without being gathered up and jailed or murdered for speaking out against the government, tells me that we are still are on the right path as we continue to develop, mature, and become as ONE nation. While we in the U.S. are allowed to create, invent, develop, and flourish our ideas, other nations are not afforded that and must be careful not to even speak out against their government, in fear of retaliation. At least in my mind, I can say that the United States is nowhere near perfect, but because of not only our military might or wealth, but our way of life, ideas, pillars, creativity, opportunity, and ability to speak out when something isn’t right, still makes us a unipolar-superpower.

Please join the conversation! Leave a comment, I would love to read your thoughts and ideas. Thank you!

Reference

1. N.d. (2020). The Creation of the Soviet Buffer Zone. Retrieved from, https://www.cvce.eu/en/education/unit-content/-/unit/55c09dcc-a9f2-45e9-b240-eaef64452cae/a813e2e2-d50d-4f1f-a31b-0ffe5f2c169b.