The Role of the US Government on a Global Scale

The United States, being one of the eminent powers of the world today, has significant influences across the globe. Unfortunately some of these influences are related to a vast amount of potentially destructive issues. Among these many issues, both nationally and internationally, includes an unsettled economy, sluggish response to climate change, uncontrolled consumerism, a volatile and immature political atmosphere and a decline in corporate responsibility. While any one of these issues has the potential in affecting the world on a range of levels, the United States' role in collective security may have the most immediate effect and a wider range of impact, to not only peace and security globally, but also indirectly addressing the aforementioned issues we face today.

Looking back at the 20th Century, we can see the revolutions, the world wars, the famines, but also the purposeful unification of countries in an effort to halt such calamitous events. The first undertaking was the League of Nations, which had various problems but was an important first step towards the development of collective security. After the devastating effect of WWI, countries collectively came together to ensure that another 'world war' would never ensue again. The League of Nations originated from the idea of a former U.S. President, Woodrow Wilson. “A general association of nations,” he stated, “must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike.”[1] Ironically the US never became a member of the League of Nations. The League of Nations, though having many faults, created an abundant amount of prosperity worldwide. It attributed to the lessening of slavery, the improvement of working conditions, decreased prostitution, the improvement of global health, and the protection of minorities in Europe. But its faults all attributed to its downfall in 1946. The main faults were the League of Nations inability to actively make decisions as a whole and follow through, halting the power hungry nations overtaking the weaker nations, the exploitation of minority groups, and also the reliance on the 'powerful nations' to execute and enforce its resolutions. The obvious example of its faults being the inability to stop the devastating WWII and the Axis Powers, which all were members of the League of Nations.

The United Nations rose from the ashes in 1945 after WWII to replace the dwindling League of Nations. The UN was formed as an international organization whose goals were centered on international security, human rights, economic development, international law and the ultimate goal of world peace. Out of the 195 nations of the world, only three do not participate. Yet wars and tensions still exist between nations within the UN, the most current being the Iraq-US war, that had a multitude of opposition from various countries represented within the United Nations. Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa, said the US was sending a message that "if you are afraid of a veto in the Security Council, you can go outside and take action and violate the sovereignty of other countries", a message which "must be condemned in the strongest terms."[2]

As a leading nation of today, the United States must follow and conform to the laws it participates in. It seems hypocritical that the US is a part of a unifying international organization but does not abide by the same laws. Throughout history, it is apparent that the negligence of other countries (Germany, Japan and Italy) to abide by the rules created turmoil and distress, which eventually ended in a world war. If we are to ever achieve peace between countries on a global scale, the United States must make an effort to step down from its pedestal of power and be an example for the rest of the world. Simultaneously, the UN must create an establishment that's a win-win scenario for all nations, so that there is not a forced pressure to join, but a willingness to participate. In the past, we have seen how aggression and forced consent is ineffective, and how the ability for the more dominant countries to join and withdraw as they please, creates a discord among the rest of the organization. Instead of the US using its military power to spread fear and forced compliance, it must use its other positive means of influence to forge a new path in a different direction than war. An example would be our current president Barack Obama who has won the Nobel Peace Prize. There is debate on his merit of achieving such a prestigious award, but President Obama can use his current support for helping create better resolutions within the United Nations to ensure a more harmonious future.

During the last century, we have witnessed events of unimaginable horrors, but also the creation of unifying ideologies and organizations that strive to create a better global future. With the formation of the United Nations, nations have taken another step towards world peace and the unifying of humanity, but the path is strenuous and long. The United States can be a driving force that brings the leaders of all nations together to address the weaknesses currently residing in the United Nation’s structure of response to collective security, in large part due to the United State’s vast resources and influential power.
The world is heading towards an international community, based partly on the need for global economic equilibrium and a global response to climate change. The United States, a leading international power, must take a supreme role in guiding the nations to a sanction of peace throughout the world. In so doing, it will create a stronghold between countries that will serve nations’ individual needs and international stability.