products.But states with large GNPs do tively decides that they are politically and not.When most of the great powers economically unworthy,but some coun- were smaller,they depended heavily on tries abroad,like some firms at home,are one another both economically and mili- so important that they cannot be allowed tarily.Great Britain and Germany before to fail.National governments and inter- World War I were each other's second- national agencies then come to the rescue. best customers for both exports and The United States is the country that imports,and their trade accounted for a most often has the ability and the will to huge proportion of their GNPs-52 and step in.The agency that most often acts is 38 percent,respectively.After World War the IMF,and most countries think of the II,the world's two great powers were IMF as the enforcement arm of the U.S. barely dependent on others,while a num- Treasury.Thomas Friedman believes that ber of other states depended heavily on when the "herd"makes its decisions, them.The terms of political,economic there is no appeal,but often there is one, and military competition are set by the and it is for a bailout organized by the larger units of the international political United States. system.Through centuries of multipo- The international economy,like larity,with five or so great powers of national economies,operates within a set comparable size competing with one of rules and institutions that have to be another,the international system was made and sustained.Britain to a large highly interdependent.Under bipolarity extent provided this service prior to World and unipolarity the degree of interde- War I;no one did between the wars,and pendence has declined markedly. the United States has done so since. States are differentiated from one another not by function but primarily by capability.For two reasons inequalities The Unbidden Fist across states have greater political impact F,ECONOMICALLY,the United than inequalities across income groups States is the world's most impor- within states.First,the inequalities of tant country,militarily it is the states are larger and have been growing decisive one.Thomas Friedman puts the more rapidly.Rich countries have become point simply:the world is sustained by richer while poor countries have "the presence of American power and remained poor.Second,in a system with- America's willingness to use that power out central governance,the influence of against those who would threaten the sys- the units of greater capability is dispro- tem of globalization....The hidden hand portionately large because there are no of the market will never work without a effective laws and institutions to direct hidden fist."But the fist is in full view. and constrain them.They are able to On its military forces,the United work the system to their advantage,as the States outspends the next seven biggest petrodollar example cited above shows. spenders combined.When force is In the international system as it exists required to keep or to restore the peace, today,the United States is truly blessed. either the United States leads the way or Precisely because the United States the peace is not kept.The Cold War mili- depends relatively little on others,it has a tarized international politics.Relations wide range of policy choices and the abili- between the United States and the Soviet ty both to bring pressure on others and to Union,and among some other countries assist them.The“herd”with its capital as well,came to be defined largely in a may flee from countries when it collec- single dimension:the military one. Globalization and American Power. 53 Copyright 2000.All rights reserved.Copyright © 2000. All rights reserved