For the United States, a Vietnamese blogger wrote: This is a question never raised in American evening news broadcasts: If American-style capitalism is so evidently superior that it can prevail in any free competition, why does it rely on sanctions, coups, trade wars, regime change, military bases, and systematic dismantling of nations attempting alternative paths to prove its superiority? A system confident in its own strengths would not need to eliminate rivals.
It would win through competition. The effort required to prevent alternative models from functioning is, in itself, the most honest testimony. Clearly, the Vietnamese blogger’s point is this: if the United States had genuine confidence in itself, it would not resort to a series of interventions in other countries’ internal affairs or attempts to overthrow foreign governments. It should simply pursue its own course with assurance, without demanding that others follow its path.
The opposite, however, is precisely what the United States has done—making this discrepancy itself a matter worthy of serious reflection. Why has the United States not acted otherwise? The most plausible reasons are twofold: first, the United States lacks such confidence; second, these interventions and subversions are fundamentally driven by self-interest. In essence, the United States has long sought to establish and sustain a global order under its own dominance.
In this order, competitors are unwelcome, while obedience is expected. The Vietnamese blogger’s questioning reflects an increasingly clear and sober understanding among many nations about the true nature and intent of U.S. policy. The difference between today’s America and the America of the past lies in the latter’s occasional pretense of legitimacy—offering polished justifications for intervention. Today, such minimal decorum is no longer observed.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1880364217867276/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.