Does The US Need To Be A Superpower?

[Love As Arson]

Are superpowers beneficial at all? I would prefer if power was disseminated throughout the world, so actual democracy may take place on the international scene.

[IAmNietzche]

There will always be hegemonic powers. International democracy is one of the most unlikely things that could ever happen.

[entrepy]

America acting as a superpower helps to keep other countries in check. Power dissemination would be ideal in a perfect world, but in today's society there are countries who would attempt to gain more power by attacking others and emerging as a superpower, and they would probably not be as restrained as the Americans when it comes to their enemies (off-hand thinking about Palestine - Israel, or Iran - Israel).

[Love As Arson]

America acting as a superpower helps to keep other countries in check. Power dissemination would be ideal in a perfect world, but in today's society there are countries who would attempt to gain more power by attacking others and emerging as a superpower, and they would probably not be as restrained as the Americans when it comes to their enemies (off-hand thinking about Palestine - Israel, or Iran - Israel).
America has not been hands off in its approach to the world. Chile and Nicaragua, for example, bear the marks of imperial intervention.

There will always be hegemonic powers. International democracy is one of the most unlikely things that could ever happen.
It depends on a given economic and governmental system.

[icameonherface]

No, but as much as we don't need to be, other nations seem to need some form of a super power only because of past events as some countries were not able to build defensive military systems and quality economies.

Now I'm not saying USA should be it, but with the United Nations lack of balls, there needs to be some form of "savior" type nation.

[preppyak]

It depends on a given economic and governmental system.

No, but as much as we don't need to be, other nations seem to need some form of a super power only because of past events as some countries were not able to build defensive military systems and quality economies.

Now I'm not saying USA should be it, but with the United Nations lack of balls, there needs to be some form of "savior" type nation.
Yeah...I've struggled with this question before...and I always come back to that part of the human consciousness where their is a desire to lead and be at power. If it weren't for that, I believe the world would be perfect without a super power. But, I agree that since there will be super powers, that it would be best if it was something like the UN. Or, in the near future, something like a three way reign by the EU, US, and China...it forces them all to stay in check with each other...and in turn, promotes benefits for smaller nations whom the super powers try to get on their side.

The problem, as was pointed out, is that without a second superpower to hold us in check, we can intervene wherever and not be called into question through force. In cases where we should be hands off, we aren't