When was the apex of American power?

[Lurker]

The 20th century has been described as "The American Century", due to the influence the US had on the world and the place of prominence it got. The US became the world's biggest economy sometime in World War I and hasn't lost the post ever since. The US is also described as the only superpower on the world. So, when do you think was the apex of American power or when do you think it'll be?

1945-1950: Just after world war 2: The USA had the only really good industrial park left in the world, with Europe in ruins. This is the time the USA built many institutions to control the western bloc, like the Bretton Woods deal, the IMF, the Marshall plan, NATO, etc.

1951 - 1959 : The golden years: After two decades of severe abnormality (the great depression years in the 30s and world war 2 in the 40s), America had a decade of overnormality. Family values were put in first place, as was anticommunism (mccarthyism and red scare) and white male racial superiority. Women were sent back to the kitchen after having to work while the men were off to war.

1991-1999: Post Cold War with the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the US becomes the sole superpower and has its ideology of free market and democracy expand in almost everywhere in the world. This is the time when internet was spreading, as well as personal computers. This is the time, according to the IMF, when the US GDP has the highest share in world gdp in their data (that starts in 1980), peaking at 25% in 1999, just before the dotcom bubble. Also, terrorism and the muslim threat seemed distant, since 09/11 (the equivalent to the Roman "Barbarian invasions" according to a french intelectual) would happen only in 2001.

first half of 2007: Just before the Great Recession: the Great Recession has changed a lot of things, and one of it is the rate of growth of developing countries vis a vis developed countries. Before that, it was usually the developing countries that had severe crisis, with the US normally having only mild crisis that lasted for a few quarters. Some say the Great Recession was the time when the US started losing its power, so just before it makes sense as the apex too.

Answer the poll and comment!

[Joe McCarthy]

Easily the 90s as no one even remotely challenged us then. Bill Clinton was able to bomb Serbia and all Russia could do was writhe in humiliation. I'm unsure that would occur today as Russia asserts itself even over Syria.

And of course China was a budding power but essentially a non-entity then. Clinton sending the Seventh Fleet to the Taiwan Strait in the mid-90s had them cowering in retreat.

[Loddfafner]

The Clinton era, for all the reasons posted upthread. Also, electronics and especially the Internet were still new and largely American. America reached a level of unchecked military superiority that the Bush administration quickly squandered through massive overplays in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[Aces High]

1950's...America was the place to be......white and proud.

Its been downhill ever since.

[Siberyak]

1950's...America was the place to be......white and proud.

Its been downhill ever since.

Agreed 100%. America was truly a wonderful place to live then. Negros knew there place. No massive Mexican invasion. Factories and Industry were not moving to China and India. It is taken a complete nose dive since then.

[Beorn]

3rd September, 1783. On a big slip into the shit ever since.

[Logan]

Depends upon what is measured and in relation to whom. I am not sure except that the big show is coming up.

His central thesis is that the growing strategic competition between the US and China is almost certain to produce deadly and convulsive conflict unless the Americans can be persuaded to give up their primacy in Asia and share power with China as an equal.

According to White, that would mean, among many other things: "no more lecturing China about dissidents, Tibet or religious freedom. It (the US) would have to accept that China's international interests will legitimately differ from America's, and be prepared to compromise to settle those differences amicably. That means no more lecturing China about its failure to meet US expectations on matters such as Iran, Sudan and North Korea. And America would have to accept that China has a right to build armed forces as large and capable as America's. That means no more lecturing China about excessive defence spending or lack of transparency about its military plans. In short, it means surrendering primacy and all that goes with it."

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225917582189

[Joe McCarthy]

In short, it means surrendering primacy and all that goes with it."

And of course that cannot be allowed to happen. If it were another Western state, perhaps, but America is not going to willingly surrender 500 years of Western dominance.

[RoyBatty]

Your mudhole is bankrupt Joew. The only thing still floating your boat is that over-inflated military killing and robbing machine of yours. Enjoy the party while it lasts!

[Fernando]

Just after World War II, when we became a true Superpower.