Pax Americana, truth or fiction?

[Farm Boy]

It seems there's interest in discussing this one so here we go.

Is Pax Americana real? Is it just a clever lie that would be more accurately attributed to the glory of Downtown?

If Pax Americana is real, is it worth it? Does that answer change depending on if you are a resident of the USA or a member nation of the USA's nuclear umbrella? A developing or third world nation?

Your thoughts please!

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Goddamn you for finally starting this thread when I literally have 5 minutes to class and an extremely busy week. You sonofa-

 

[Farm Boy]

Goddamn you for finally starting this thread when I literally have 5 minutes to class and an extremely busy week. You sonofa-

All planned.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

You. Bad Person. You.

short answer to OP
Yes

 

[Muhammed]

The reason the world is relatively peacefull atm is american unipolarity(/american military dominance)

I fear this will turn out to be a short chapter in history

 

[ace99]

The Syrians love our Pax.

 

[Farm Boy]

The Syrians love our Pax.

Doesn't really work that way under the theory. Civil wars kinda being their own thing. Unless you would like to make the argument that American military dominance increases civil war in general, or caused this one in particular?

 

[warpus]

The term seems to mean a bunch of different things.

Which meaning in particular are you after?

 

[ace99]

or caused this one in particular?

I think there's something to be said for that. But an even better and more direct example would be Mali.

 

[Farm Boy]

The term seems to mean a bunch of different things.

Which meaning in particular are you after?

Let's go broad. The theory that the global "relative peace" of the past ~50 years or so has happened because of American nuclear and conventional arms dominance successfully deterring(for the most part) military adventurism/wars of conquest particularly amongst other major powers.

 

[ace99]

I think you're going too far back. American military dominance as we now enjoy it has been since after the fall of the Soviet Union.

 

[Farm Boy]

I think you're going too far back. American military dominance as we now enjoy it has been since after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Well, the counter arguments I usually read are that MAD counterbalance was in play deterring full scale war between global powers at that stage, particularly in the period where the US had nukes and decided not to use them Patton-style on the USSR. If you feel the 1945-1990ish period would be better labeled as the triumphant success of nuclear weaponry or the USSR, go for it, just break it down for us!

 

[Ironsided]

I believed it and supported it up to 2001, after that less and less every year.

 

[Antilogic]

Hasn't stopped proxy wars nor direct conventional engagements or armed interventions of every stripe during the time period in question. I think Pax Anything is kind of a misnomer, though, so I might be an outlier.

 

[Joecoolyo]

Hasn't stopped proxy wars nor direct conventional engagements or armed interventions of every stripe during the time period in question. I think Pax Anything is kind of a misnomer, though, so I might be an outlier.

Well, my cursory reading of the term highlighted the importance of the relative nature of the peace. There can still be war and violence, its just not nearly as common nor bloody as before the Pax.

I'm not sure how true that rings for the period labeled Pax Americana, though.

 

[Antilogic]

Well, my cursory reading of the term highlighted the importance of the relative nature of the peace. There can still be war and violence, its just not nearly as common nor bloody as before the Pax.

I'm not sure how true that rings for the period labeled Pax Americana, though.

If anything, I think the Pax Americana has seen a marked increase in the number of American military interventions, at least outside the traditional areas where they have been (i.e. Latin America). If anything, the term implies the USA is enforcing the peace through military or covert means, not that the world is any more or less peaceful.

 

[Joecoolyo]

If anything, I think the Pax Americana has seen a marked increase in the number of American military interventions, at least outside the traditional areas where they have been (i.e. Latin America). If anything, the term implies the USA is enforcing the peace through military or covert means, not that the world is any more or less peaceful.

How do the number of American interventions compare to the number of conventional wars before the Pax?

 

[Farm Boy]

How do the number of American interventions compare to the number of conventional wars before the Pax?

Scale of conflict also probably needs addressed.

 

[JohannaK]

Pax Americana? Tricky thing.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Scale of conflict also probably needs addressed.

Thos is ab important point I feel.

I also think the Soviets get some credit for lly he relative stability of,the cold war.