Monday, May 4, 2009

America's New Empire for Liberty by Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson shows extreme patriotic pride in this essay. He starts off saying before September 11, Americas boundaries were the world, for from whatever part of the world harbored its enemies, it could be attacked and, if such enemies possessed weapons of mass destruction, mortally attacked. 9/11 was a huge awakening to America. Johnson supports his opinion by statingt that America has the language of the twenty-first century. English is already the premier world language in many respects, and this century will see its rapid extension and consolidation. America has, and will continue to acquire, the pioneering technology of the twenty-first century, its lead being widened by its success in providing a clear climate of freedom in which inventors and entrepreneurs of all kinds can operate. In the 1800's Asia produced 57% of the worlds goods whereas the west(America) only produced 29% of the worlds goods. This all has dramatically changed in the 1900 when America produced 86% and Asia 10% of the worlds goods. Paul Johnson shows us that Ameica has added $5 trillion to the annual GDP in the last quarter of the 20th century alone. Johnson is convinced that by 2050, America will constitute over a quarter of the world total and be as much as three times as big as the European Union(for example). In 2050 Johnson also believes that the Japanese working poplation will shrink by 38%, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus by 46% the European Union by 15%. While all of these countries loose the working population, America's workin population will have increased by 31% or 54 million people. Later in the essay Johnson brings up some good facts recalling that up to 1860, empire was not a term of abuse in the United States. Johnson reminds us that George Washington himself spoke of “the rising American Empire.” Johnson also tells us Thomas Jefferson was well aware of the dilemma and claimed that America was “an empire for liberty.” This is what Johnson believes America is becoming again. America’s search for security against terrorism and rogue states go hand in hand. From the Evil Empire to an Empire for Liberty is a giant step. A contrast as great as the appalling images of the wasted twentieth century and the brightening dawn of the twenty-first. All this being said Johnson has the confidence that America has the musculature and the will to take giant steps, as it has shown in the past.

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