Values and Identity: the United States of America as a Responsible Great Power. Why renewal of the treasured traditional American values and ideals is so important? (original) (raw)

This dissertation aims to identify, explore and consider parallels between the treasured, traditional ideals that guided the United States of America throughout its history and the English School and constructivists values in order to demonstrate why values per se play an important role in the foreign policymaking, identity formation and perception of a ‘Responsible Great Power’ such as the United States of America in International Politics. Certain values are universal and America will work to promote them worldwide. These include an individual's freedom to speak their mind, assemble without fear, worship as they please, and choose their own leader; they also include dignity, tolerance, and equality among all people, and the fair and equitable administration of justice. America was founded upon a belief in these values. At home, fidelity to these values has extended the promise of America ever more fully, to ever more people. Abroad, these values have been claimed by people of every race, region, and religion. Most nations are parties to international agreements that recognise this commonality and nations that embrace these universal values for their citizens are ultimately more successful. It will be argued that American values and ideals are durable and prone to a process of continuous evolution as well as perfecting, throughout history. America rose the greatness as a revolutionary community, following the lead of creative pioneers who welcomed and initiated timely and constructive changes instead of remaining in stagnation. President Obama attempted to renew these values by reclaiming the American dream. As Maraziti (2017: 125) argued, he restored America's reputation destroyed by an unnecessary war, generalized ignorance and arrogance of leadership. Instead of using military might, President Obama invested in diplomacy, honest negotiations and collective responses to the novel, global challenges. President Obama's grand strategy might be summarized as preserving American leadership of an eminently favourable international order, but doing so at reduced costs, via more supple and energetic climate diplomacy, and in ways that better reflect the shifting balance of power on the global chessboard. The climate change problem is real, as the Report by the National Intelligence Council states, "Extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfalls, floods, droughts, cyclones, and heatwaves, will disrupt critical human and natural systems. They could trigger crop failures, wildfires, energy blackouts, infrastructure breakdown, or infectious diseases outbreaks. The frequency and magnitude of such events are increasing as the climate changes, according to the IPCC." (2016: 5). The analysis presented in this thesis reveals that for the success of President Obama's climate diplomacy to be complete he could have mobilised the initiative of global leaders embracing coherent and swift decision making in response to, and even more importantly, in prevention to natural disasters and various climatic changes. For the radical green environmentalists and climate activists, President Obama was not consequential enough. Environmental problems our civilisation faces probably cannot be solved within the current system as it is too much established in the vested interests of big oil corporations and fossil fuel industry. As Thunberg (2019) said, ''We cannot save the world by playing by the rules because the rules have to change.'' The argument that solving these problems requires a more decisive move towards the rational institutionalist approaches to understanding multilateral institutions and far more tightened cooperation between states within established institutions, or perhaps even, the creation of some kind of new, more flexible institutions is something we have been hearing for a long time. But so far, the efforts of liberal institutionalists have been ineffective while the planet is suffering. These new institutions, the so-called 'third generation of global governance institutions', even if they would have materialised in the near future, they would have to speak for future generations and stand as a counterweight to selfish, national interests. Their creators should also have enough courage to oppose the vested interests of fossil fuel industry and big oil corporations which have been institutionalizing unsustainable development that is based on exponential curves which cannot go for all time. "With tens of trillions of dollars' worth of fossil fuel reserves and infrastructure at stake, it is perhaps not surprising that some of the businesses and individuals with the most money to lose from addressing climate change have done whatever they can to block progress" (Berners-Lee and Clark, 2013: 126). For decades, many of those invested in ongoing oil, coal and gas use have pumped money into lobby groups, think tanks and PR agencies with the express purpose of persuading that climate change is not real. The more recent changes in climate producing extreme weather events are the best proof that their system is crumbling and it will lead to the 'carbon bubble' which poses a significant financial threat to the world's stock markets. Evidently, fossil fuel companies have huge amount to lose from a successful effort to tackle climate change. Ensuring symbiosis with the Earth does not, however, require a world government or a new industrial revolution that would destroy the old system. Earth needs a long-awaited regeneration or respite or sustainable retreat. Combating climate change does not require accepting lower growth or a lower standard of living. "Moving away from fossil fuel use and toward clean energy can boost innovation, productivity and efficiency." (Obama, 2017). During the course of Obama's presidency, the economy grew by more than 10 percent despite a 9.5 per cent fall in carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector. Humanity can and indeed must envisage a future powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, which may help break the link between economic activity and climate change. Rather than fighting and exploiting the environment, humanity needs to recognize alternative measures of sustainable progress. In reality, there is no conflict between human progress and environmental sustainability; well-being is directly and positively connected with a healthy environment. (Rogers, et al., 2012: 61). To move towards sustainability human civilisation "must address social as well as environmental issues." (Ibid.: 63). Humanity must not continue to sacrifice the environment to safeguard a vision of the world based on the illusion of infinite economic growth. Robert F. Kennedy once said that a country’s GDP measures “everything except that which makes life worthwhile." Global civilisation could break away from artificial GDP measurements and start to look for the smart cure to the ailing planet. A good start, as Nordhaus and Romer (2018) observed, is to include care for the climate in the value of the national growth. Many economic goods, such as natural resources and clean air, are hard to reproduce. Climate change and its effect on everyone’s well-being, is not a part of national accounts, while profits and GDP are. Had more countries valued more favourable climate they would have convinced leaders not only to preserve liberal order but also to try to heal the Earth. (Liberal order is dependent on climate stability). If we could give more choices to people and more choices to leaders it would result in a broader set of rules to change rules. Gradually, this would lead to a systemic change thereby avoiding coordination trap (Romer, 2009). According to Anderson (2018), ''the only conceivable way forward to prevent the world from turning into an oven is “system change” via transformation to decarbonized energy supply technologies with deep penetration of efficient technologies and a profound shift in behaviour and reframing the value propositions re success and progress, an economic model that fits the purpose of mitigation, like eco economics.'' Redirecting America's policy on climate is a practical, prudent strategy initiating global system change. ''We either change the system rapidly to reduce our emissions or we do not bother and then system change gets us through climate change.'' (Ibid). Decision-makers must be in the forefront since successfully addressing climate change could open new avenues in space while offering a chance for a civilisational upgrade. We need a new burst of pioneering spirit, focus on the world's youth and innovative policy. The planet needs a long-awaited spiritual, moral renewal. Prudent global leaders invest great effort and demonstrate political sagacity to do the right thing at the right time, (listening to science and acting in time) instinctively​ choosing the right idea. They do not only promise change but also deliver it to leave a better and safer world for future generations.