"whosoever shall not be offended in me" - Significance of the US

The Government Office District, Tokyo

Significance of the US

Many people in Europe, Africa, Asia, and other part of the world immigrated to the US.

The land of the US has rich natural resources in addition to the vast size.  Americans also could apply and enjoy modern technology, science, and other products of the European civilization.  The US was not a country that belonged to other civilization than the European civilization.  Today's Americans are not, say, descendants of native Australians who sailed to North America to establish new material civilization competing the European Civilization.   The core of Americans are not a mass of great people but mere descendants of Europeans after 1492.

So, the victory of the US to be No.1 in the world does not prove that its people have made the greatest efforts in the world and in the history.  It does not prove that Americans are the most talented people in the world.  But they have been the greatest beneficiaries of the great nature and the European civilization.

But many people in Europe, Africa, Asia, and other part of the world have immigrated to the US.  Why? It is because they could not be successful in their original countries.  Various conditions in society of their original countries hindered their success.  So, they immigrated into the US where they could be free from old yokes in their mother countries.  They found, when they reached the US, they were free from old rules, customs and traditions that had put them down.  Now they could feel superior to people who still lived in old countries under old social systems.  


In this context, immigrants to the US naturally feel superior to foreign countries from which they immigrated into the US.


Immigrants from England to the US feel superior to England.  Immigrants from other European countries feel  superior to those countries.  Immigrants from China and India to the US feel superior to India and China.  


Immigrants to the US might all think that they are superior to those who still live in countries they  left long time ago.


So, it is natural that Americans like to teach American democracy and American capitalism to those who still live in countries they left long time ago.  It really satisfies their sense of superiority to peoples in other countries.


In this context, the Vietnam War and the subsequent economic/industrial rise of Japan gave great shocks to Americans, namely immigrants and descendants of immigrants.  The pride of America was damaged to some extent.  They could not militarily overwhelm North Vietnam supported by China and the USSR.  They had to admit that Japan, a non-European and non-Christian country, could overwhelm the US in some fields of economy and industry.  


But, the USSR fell through the Cold War.  The American high-technology military could easily wipe away Saddam's troops.  And, afterward the PC boom and the Internet diffusion contributed to recovery of the American industry and business while Japan got into a long period of recession and deflation.  The globalization of economy helped the US expand its scope of economic activities based on American standards they could propagate to the world.


But the Japan helped Taiwan, South Korea, and China develop their industry and economy during its lost decade and the subsequent period.  Now nobody in the world thinks that modern science and technology are proprietary assets of Europe and North America.  Everybody in Asia has followed Japan.  And, the PC and the Internet helped Asian followers absorb modern products of material civilization Europe, America, and Japan have developed and provided.


Even today, many people, not necessary poor people, want to immigrate into the US from their original countries.  A typical example is Chinese, especially rich Chinese.  So, the US has also political merit.  Further the US intends to invite many talented students from the world.  The big size of its land and abundant natural resources allow the US to invite and take more people who can contribute to making the US richer, stronger, and more advanced.

Though America is still leading the world in terms of humanity development by electing Mr. Obama, an African American, to the US presidency, nobody in the world respects Americans as a role model since so many criminal acts are committed in the US.  Americans are simply blessed with cultural advantages brought from Europe, its great natural resources, affluent life (though there are many poor Americans), and free atmosphere in society and respect for individuals.  So, traditionally Americans are easygoing.  They are not the people who have achieved great success as a nation through their hard work against many and formidable disadvantages.  Everybody in the world thinks if he was born in the US, he could have been so "easily" successful.  Though internal competition among Americans is very hard and tough, they are all on the rich basis and affluent environment given to them for free. So, there are not so many Americans who can be really respected for their efforts in life as they have lived already in rich environment.  So, while Americans feel superiority to other countries, they are not so much respected in return.

Nonetheless, without the world and other countries, Americans cannot feel superior.  Without them, Americans cannot enjoy such affluent life.  Without trade with other countries at all, Americans can still enjoy reasonable life but not so affluent.  Without export and import to/from other countries, Americans cannot keep the high living standards they enjoy now.  America has to rely on G20 to secure the global market.  For example, if Japan and China stopped buying Treasury bonds, the US would have to face a great financial crisis, worse than the 2008 Financial Crisis.  Even GM might be purchased by Japan or China.

Having discussed the US as above, however, the issue is whether the US is good for the world and other countries.  Can the US diffuse democracy and freedom to the world more?  Specifically can the US make Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Syria, Myanmar, China, North Korea, etc. democratic nations?  Or will it simply continue its old way of enjoying superiority and doing anything to keep such superiority?  And will merit America provides for other countries be greater than damage it might inflict on mankind in history with its respect for the Mammon more than God?
       




APPENDIX.  GDP in 1941

No.1 US...1,098,921
No.2 Germany...401,174
No.3 UK...360,737
No.4 USSR...333,656
No.5 India (UK)...270,531
No.6 Japan...212,594
No.7 Italy...153,517
No.8 France...131,052
No.9 Indonesia (Netherlands)...89,316
No. 10 Canada...71,508

* Without including GDP in their colonies.  China's GDP is not clear.

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Luk 7:22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
Luk 7:23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.