Radicals and Liberals in the USA - Essay Example

? RADICALS AND LIBERALS IN THE U.S.A The radicals were concerned about improving the lives of people by extending democracy to all. In addition, they believe the system is not okay which needs to be transformed completely. On the other hand, the liberals were middle class merchants and leaders. They identified injustice in the system and were determined to establish a more equal society. However, despite the fact these groups aimed to create a just society in the U.S.A, their disagreements elicited different views on the changing roles of American’s role in the world. The 1954 coup de tat in Guatemala was planned by the CIA who had the intention of fighting communism in Guatemala and encouraging social, political and economic justice for the people of Guatemala. The U.S took part in the Coup because they believed that Guatemala could cooperate and join the U.S.S.R which the U.S.A was in cold war with. The U.S feared the soviet infiltration of the western hemisphere. This coup depicts how the United States of America has plays the role of protecting vulnerable citizens from anarchy. America presents modern concept in which issues are handled in a revolutionary modern way which shows that everything is a product of new and fresh thinking. Some of those who had lived in America argued that Americans lacked respect and that they discriminated people from other countries in that it was difficult to engage in communication with Americans and that it was not easy to get a servant when in the U.S.A. But according to Barzini, all these complain made no sense because America has evolved and knew how to mingle with visitors. The U.S.A is depicted as materialistic and utilitarian nation in the world whose major aim is to explore other countries and deprive them of their valuables. Barzini came to change his perception about America when he came to realize the sight of depression, unemployment, poverty, fear and hopelessness being the order of the day in America during the 1920s. The world held the perception that America was in a position to create new jobs, produce more goods, wealth and success. After the Second World War, Americans sat in conference rooms to discuss a decision which they agreed upon unanimously so that nobody could be blamed in case of potential mistake. As a result of interaction, America influences other countries in that it tries to implant its culture on others. For instance, the Chinese people crashed their traditional culture by trying to fix in the America culture. America is being viewed as a threat to the world because of its development in industrial, technical and scientific progress which translates into materialistic society by showing the American industrial power and material wealth. On the other hand, America’s role in the world has been viewed positively in that foreigners are urged to send their citizens to America so that they can learn advanced techniques, production process and scientific progress. They will study and adopt the best features of American society, a modern democratic, progressive society in which people find work, security, shelter and satisfaction. This process of knowledge transfusion from a wealthier nation like the United States is necessary and fruitful for development of other countries of the world. In the Truman speech, America was concerned with economic status of Turkey and Greece. These countries saw America as the only country that could aid them from financial instability. The U.S intervened in this situation with the aim of maintaining its political and economic hegemony and with the need to help countries that loved peace and promoted its democratic ideals. In addition, the U.S supported Greece and Turkey so that they could build internal order and peace. There was no other country that would help democratic Greek government. This reveals that the U.S has been given the role of supporting and maintaining freedom in vulnerable countries. In 1958, those people who opposed American ideologies pelt the then vice president of U.S Richard Nixon’s motorcade with rocks in Caracus, Venezuela. Nixon was on mission seeking to improve the relations between U.S and South American countries. Instead of the trip generating food intentions, it created more ill feelings in the region. Protestors accosted Nixon over the U.S foreign policy of giving military endorsement to political coups in Central America. Earlier before, Nixon was send to Venezuela, the Venezuelan government had warned President Eisenhower not to send Nixon to that country where anti-American sentiment ran high everywhere. The Chinese student movement of 1945 to 1949 was referred to as the second front because of the magnitude of the protest. As the civil war continued, the student’s protests became one of major issues in the Chinese government. The protests by the students were particularly against the war. The United Sates had the challenge of arresting the rapid growth of military development in China by engaging in diplomatic talks with the aim of ending the stalemate and restoring peace. Civil rights movement in America has great history in the United States. The cold war had an impact on the U.S domestic race politics and that it lessened the resistance to civil rights demands. During the cold war period, the Americans in the development of black civil rights with an intention of fighting for their rights which was ignored by the government. The black people wanted to establish a just and equal society where everybody was equal. Many Americans realized the connection between racial problems and cold war, therefore, through this realization; the government of U.S sought support from continents such as Africa and Asia so as to cement its role in the world. The civil rights crises in the U.S transitioned into foreign affairs issues and that the on-going racial injustice in the U.S did not favor the Americas interest since the soviet used the race issue that was dominant in anti-American propaganda. Civil rights movement during the cold war created a constraining environment for local or domestic politics and thus led to some social changes such as desegregation. In countries like German, America has been portrayed as a country composed of dream, prejudice and reality, a country where a man could only make material fortune. People assumed that America conceptions of rights and wrongs were simple in that the Americans did not know political compromise since they were determined to stamp their political mark to other countries. The American program of reeducation in German was an attempt to graft the ideals of a Midwestern town on German conditions. As a result of this, Germans were influenced in that they adopted American democracy ideals. Germans started to uncover their prosperity lying dormant in German; they began to challenge governmental authority and thus helped reestablish organs of public opinions that defended freely what they perceived as human rights. America has the strong desire to discover and encourage Islamic culture with the view of favoring secularization of legal systems and modernization of Arabic language in the world. America was thought to have ignored the affairs of Egypt and Middle East countries. On its part, America defended herself by arguing that America lacked adequate information about the past histories of Middle East. Despite differences in ideologies whereby America supports capitalism while Egypt favors communism, America reveals its tendency to ensure that there is freedom to everybody in society. In addition, America has been viewed as a country that upheld integration in that incase of troubles, the country sends troops in order to maintain law and order and protect individual liberty from malicious interference. America is depicted as the world leader of opposition to the exploitation of the small by the big countries. Recent International happenings have shown that American policy is geared towards forming forced alliances by gain and expediency rather than right and justice. These events have given risen to the suggestion that America is aspiring to oust the French and the British from their spheres of influence and occupy a place as a modern colonizing power. America has failed to enforce peace in Middle East where human rights are being violated. The destiny of whole area of Arab countries should be recognized and shaped by the United States. America has the role of ensuring that problems facing Arab World are solved because it is viewed by many as the only country that has the potential to solve the issues since it is the only nation that can give better counsels than other western nations and suggest new approaches to the problems of Middle East. For instance, the Iranian coup saw the overthrow of democratically elected government of Iran in 1953 planned by the U.S intelligence agencies. This coup led to transition of Mohammed Shah from monarch to an authoritarian regime that relied on the support of the U.S. Initially, President Truman rejected the idea of overthrowing the Iranian government but when Eisenhower took over power, he ordered the intelligence agency to embark on the plans to overthrow the Iranian government. This shows how disagreements between liberals and radicals changed the perception of the role of U.S in the world. The toppling of Iranian government led to widespread Islamic militancy. This move has changed how America’s role is depicted globally in that it was a setback to Iran’s political development and this is the reason why Iranians continues to oppose any intervention by America in their internal affairs. It is rational to argue that disagreements between radicals and liberals in the U.S have hinged on differing role of America in the world as discussed in the paper. Reference Fromkin, David. In The Time of the Americans: FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Marshall, MacArthur-The Generation That Changed America’s Role in the World. New York: Vintage, 1996. Read More