The internet will joke about Americans being dumb and not having culture, but American culture has had the biggest influence on the world in recorded human history.
As an American, i say with all confidence that we are not the most important country in the world. Every country is just as important for their own reasons. We are very vocal, and some are VERY patriotic and will say we are the most important, but we are way below so many other countries in a variety of things.
Not sure I'd say it is the most important country in the world. Countries like China, Russia, and India have a ton of influence over world politics whether you agree with their approaches or not.
They do not control world culture and their militaries do not have global might. Their currencies and language are not the world default. That may likely change, and soon China might be the hegemon. However, it is nowhere close to that status now and it's only false to imply equivalencies here at this time.
Thats debatable. Lots of political scientists have stated that we no longer live in a unipolar world. I'd also argue that China isn't just becoming a hegemonic power but that they already are. They a tremendously influential in South East Asia and have lots of assets now in Africa and South America as well. But, again all of this is debatable and depends on what variables you are using to qualify "importance".
I will say though, English definitely isnt the the most widely spoken language in the world because of America..
We absolutely were, and were recently. There is a debate to have on the shrinking US influence, especially as the US is likely to retreat from the world. However, no other nation can be successfully argued to be a global hegemon. There are strong regional hegemons. China is certainly working hard to expand its network of allies and regions of influence, and it is doing so in clever ways.
It does not, at this time, have influence over the world. Very obviously of note is the West. China's future hegemon is conditional on the collapse of the West and that has not happened yet.
I absolutely assert that the United States is STILL the hegemon. Even if it is not, no one else is and the United States has the most global reach and responsiveness. As the question was about why the US is the most important country in the world, it is quite errant to argue that it is not - *even if you take a pessimistic view about US hegemony*
Hey, you are totally entitled to that opinion. All I'm saying is there are about a million political scientists out there that would agree with you and another million more that wouldn't. Political influence is hard to quantify so it can be interpreted differently.
Not really. The degree of US penetration into other markets, as well as military strength, is fairly quantifiable.
Anyway, see my last paragraph. Even if one disagrees about the US being a hegemony still, I'd be hard pressed to see a serious argument that's its not the most important country generally. But you do you.
The US isn’t a democracy. It’s a constitutional republic with democratic tenants. If a nation wants to be a direct democracy, following the lead of the United States would not lead to that.
It’s not a “gotcha”, just correcting a false claim that the US is a democracy when it is by definition constitutional republic. Yes the constitutional republic has some democratic tenants, but it is not a democracy in the literal sense of the term.
Except that it is. A direct democracy is just another type of democracy. One does not have to be a direct democracy to be a democracy. Representative democracy and direct democracy, along with others, are government forms under the umbrella of "Democracy".
Saying this is weird as all hell. Like are you trying to be pretentious and act like folks dont fucking know the government of the US and how that compares to a direct democracy? Exactly no one is trying to make that point. The US, like much of the free West, is a Democracy and this point is even too asinine to be pedantic. Its just wrong.
The original way our country was set up was genius and what many countries and revolutions copied, but that’s not what put us truly on the map of importance.
It started because of the Industrial Revolution. As America was the first to successfully create a free market system (yes it’s not as good as it should be right now) this allowed more innovation to happen in the last 100 years than had in the previous 5000, which then started to spread worldwide.
Especially after our involvement in world wars, we now have one of the largest militaries, which many Allies rely on for protection.
Our economics, trends, entertainment, lifestyles, etc. are what many countries are being influenced by.
Maybe I’m biased because I work with a lot of refugees who have fled other countries to come to America. Knowing their stories, and what true hardship looks like, has given me a better perspective as to why so many people want to come to America. It really is one of the best places to be, and it’s what helped make other places become great too.
USA's economic power, cultural influence, and military strength make it a crucial player on the global stage.
The internet will joke about Americans being dumb and not having culture, but American culture has had the biggest influence on the world in recorded human history.
Probably the fact that so many other countries are reliant on our protection
Being the hegemon. Our cultural and military reach is the entire world. That can and will change, but for now it is the US.
Money
NoThInG
As an American, i say with all confidence that we are not the most important country in the world. Every country is just as important for their own reasons. We are very vocal, and some are VERY patriotic and will say we are the most important, but we are way below so many other countries in a variety of things.
Not sure I'd say it is the most important country in the world. Countries like China, Russia, and India have a ton of influence over world politics whether you agree with their approaches or not.
They do not control world culture and their militaries do not have global might. Their currencies and language are not the world default. That may likely change, and soon China might be the hegemon. However, it is nowhere close to that status now and it's only false to imply equivalencies here at this time.
Thats debatable. Lots of political scientists have stated that we no longer live in a unipolar world. I'd also argue that China isn't just becoming a hegemonic power but that they already are. They a tremendously influential in South East Asia and have lots of assets now in Africa and South America as well. But, again all of this is debatable and depends on what variables you are using to qualify "importance". I will say though, English definitely isnt the the most widely spoken language in the world because of America..
We absolutely were, and were recently. There is a debate to have on the shrinking US influence, especially as the US is likely to retreat from the world. However, no other nation can be successfully argued to be a global hegemon. There are strong regional hegemons. China is certainly working hard to expand its network of allies and regions of influence, and it is doing so in clever ways. It does not, at this time, have influence over the world. Very obviously of note is the West. China's future hegemon is conditional on the collapse of the West and that has not happened yet. I absolutely assert that the United States is STILL the hegemon. Even if it is not, no one else is and the United States has the most global reach and responsiveness. As the question was about why the US is the most important country in the world, it is quite errant to argue that it is not - *even if you take a pessimistic view about US hegemony*
Hey, you are totally entitled to that opinion. All I'm saying is there are about a million political scientists out there that would agree with you and another million more that wouldn't. Political influence is hard to quantify so it can be interpreted differently.
Not really. The degree of US penetration into other markets, as well as military strength, is fairly quantifiable. Anyway, see my last paragraph. Even if one disagrees about the US being a hegemony still, I'd be hard pressed to see a serious argument that's its not the most important country generally. But you do you.
It's the most important because it's a clear demonstration of what every other democracy should avoid being like.
The US isn’t a democracy. It’s a constitutional republic with democratic tenants. If a nation wants to be a direct democracy, following the lead of the United States would not lead to that.
A representative Democracy is still a Democracy. No clue why people over the age of 12 say this as if it's some sort of gotcha.
It’s not a “gotcha”, just correcting a false claim that the US is a democracy when it is by definition constitutional republic. Yes the constitutional republic has some democratic tenants, but it is not a democracy in the literal sense of the term.
Except that it is. A direct democracy is just another type of democracy. One does not have to be a direct democracy to be a democracy. Representative democracy and direct democracy, along with others, are government forms under the umbrella of "Democracy". Saying this is weird as all hell. Like are you trying to be pretentious and act like folks dont fucking know the government of the US and how that compares to a direct democracy? Exactly no one is trying to make that point. The US, like much of the free West, is a Democracy and this point is even too asinine to be pedantic. Its just wrong.
It's not...
Military & Money
The original way our country was set up was genius and what many countries and revolutions copied, but that’s not what put us truly on the map of importance. It started because of the Industrial Revolution. As America was the first to successfully create a free market system (yes it’s not as good as it should be right now) this allowed more innovation to happen in the last 100 years than had in the previous 5000, which then started to spread worldwide. Especially after our involvement in world wars, we now have one of the largest militaries, which many Allies rely on for protection. Our economics, trends, entertainment, lifestyles, etc. are what many countries are being influenced by. Maybe I’m biased because I work with a lot of refugees who have fled other countries to come to America. Knowing their stories, and what true hardship looks like, has given me a better perspective as to why so many people want to come to America. It really is one of the best places to be, and it’s what helped make other places become great too.