How did the USA actually become so powerful?
ASK A RESEARCHER: The USA has long used its power to influence other countries. But how did they actually acquire this power?
Today, the USA is the most powerful country in the world. It is even called the world's only superpower.
It is also referred to as the world's police because it intervenes in many international affairs and conflicts. But how did the USA actually become so powerful?
The USA grows in size
In 1783, the USA became an independent country after winning the War of Independence against Britain.
During the 1800s, the country expanded by taking over large areas in North America.
It won wars against countries like Mexico and Spain and pushed out European nations that had control over parts of the Americas.
"The USA eventually built a large naval fleet and strengthened its economy. By the end of the 1800s, the country had grown significantly," explains Hilde Eliassen Restad, a US expert at Oslo New University College.
The USA becomes a superpower
Even though the USA became more powerful, the country stayed out of wars and European politics for a long time.
"This changed with World War I. That's when the USA was drawn into the European war," says Restad.
But it was only after World War II that the USA truly became a superpower.
"While many European countries emerged weakened from the war, the USA came out of it stronger," she says.
The country was now able to rebuild its economy and military without the massive destruction that had devastated Europe.
Eventually, the USA also developed nuclear weapons and became the world's most powerful military force alongside the Soviet Union. But after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the USA became the world's only superpower.
Today, the USA spends about twice as much on its military as China, Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia combined.
Shaping the new world order
After World War II, the USA played a major role in determining how the world would be organised.
In 1945, the United Nations (UN) was established in San Francisco. The UN is an organisation that works for global peace and security.
Restad explains that the USA had significant influence in the UN because of its wealth and power.
The country also became a key player in the new defence organisation NATO in 1949.
"NATO was originally intended as a European alliance. However, the USA quickly became an important part of the cooperation due to its strong military defence," says Restad.
A world with free trade
Over time, the USA has also built a strong role in the global economy.
The country has worked for a world with free trade and open borders and collaborates with many nations.
"Almost the entire world is now economically dependent on the USA, while Europe and some countries in the Middle East and Asia rely on the USA militarily," says Restad.
Intervening in wars
The USA is often called the world's police because it frequently intervenes in wars and conflicts around the world.
"The USA is often perceived as being everywhere all the time and as if they get to decide over everyone else," says Restad.
However, she also points out that the USA has been criticised for not intervening enough.
For example, to prevent the genocide in Rwanda or stop the civil war in Syria.
Still, Restad believes that the USA plays a key role in NATO and the UN. The country's support for these organisations is the main reason they still exist.
"US power has shaped the world," she says.
Can halt important trade
The USA can also intervene in conflicts without using weapons.
Sometimes, it employs what are called economic sanctions. This means refusing to trade with a country or blocking important goods from entering it.
For example, the USA has imposed sanctions on countries such as Iran, Cuba, and Russia.
"Sanctions can be used to punish countries that do something wrong, like waging war or committing human rights abuses. But they can also affect the civilian population, which is unfair," says Restad.
The USA is also one of the world's largest energy suppliers.
Economic sanctions against a country can, for instance, cut off its access to oil and gas – resources that are crucial for many nations.
"A lot of countries depend on the USA. Often, the world needs the USA more than the USA needs the world," says Restad.
Will the USA always be the world's most powerful country?
Even though the USA has been the world's most powerful country for decades, things could change in the future.
"It's not realistic to expect that the USA will always be the only superpower," says Restad.
So far, no other country has managed to challenge the USA's position as the world's most powerful state, but many point to China as a potential future rival.
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Translated by Alette Bjordal Gjellesvik
Read the Norwegian version of this article on ung.forskning.no
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