The end of The American Century?

Click here for a longish essay at Politico by Joshua Zeitz entitled "Donald Trump Ends Decades of American Political Dominance," subtitled "Donald Trump is the End of the Modern Era: The post-WWII world order of American dominance is over. Donald Trump proves it."

In February 1941, Henry Luce, the influential publisher of Time and Life magazines, penned an article heralding the “American Century,” a post-war era in which the United States would apply its newfound standing as the “dominant power in the world” to spread “free economic enterprise” and “the abundant life” around the globe. Luce envisioned the United States as “the principal guarantor of the freedom of the seas” and “the dynamic leader of world trade,” and saw in this future “possibilities of such enormous human progress as to stagger the imagination.”

The article goes on to say that what Luce said was true -- until now, when Trump seems likely to bring this era to a close. It says The American Century framework rested on four pillars:

A rules-based economic order that afforded the U.S. free access to vast international markets.

A guarantee of safety and security for its allies, backed up by American military might.

An increasingly liberal immigration system that strengthened America’s economy and complemented military and trade partnerships with the rest of the non-Communist world.

And finally, in Luce’s words, a “picture of an America” that valued — and exported to the rest of the world — “its technical and artistic skills. Engineers, scientists, doctors … developers of airlines, builders of roads, teachers, educators.”

It says:

Maybe the turn against the American Century framework is fair. At its worst, it imposed American priorities and interests on weaker countries, often at the barrel of a gun. Voters might very well want to make a reasoned break with the past.

But the American Century framework also underwrote the country’s economic might, political power and security for many decades. What happens if we dismantle it?

What follows is an interesting study of the growth of American political power in the world -- growth that may be nearing its end, at least in its present form.

Whether Trump can or will pursue his agenda remains to be seen. But it’s also beside the point. It’s what nearly 50 percent of voters just endorsed — steps that would both dismantle and repudiate the American Century framework.

But the American Century framework has defined the nation’s trajectory for well over 80 years. For good or bad, it undeniably made the United States a very prosperous and powerful country. It’s what bound allies into strategic, security and economic relationships with the U.S., ensured our continued access to trading partners and lent the country favored status across a broad spectrum of international organizations. We’ve become accustomed to the benefits it delivers, without understanding how quickly those benefits could disappear.