Some countries make up for their weaknesses economically by being clever, but all the cleverness in the world can’t compensate for profound weakness.
The United States possesses what I call “deep power,” and deep power must be first and foremost balanced power. This means economic, military, and political power in appropriate and mutually supporting amounts. It is deep in a second sense, which is that it rests on a foundation of cultural and ethical norms that define how that power is to be used and that provides a framework for individual action. Europe, for example, has economic power, but it is militarily weak and rests on a very shallow foundation. There is little consensus in Europe politically, particularly about the framework of obligations imposed on its members.
Deep rooted and well-balanced power is rare. The U.S. is uniquely positioned to consolidate and exercise both. Some people think that the U.S. can withdraw from managing global power, and to cease to meddle in the affairs of the world. And if they did so, the world would not fear or hate it, leaving the Americans to live in peace and prosperity without fear. But such a belief is nostalgia for a time that is long behind us.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, the U.S. is without rival for global dominance. After the Cold War, the U.S. did not merely emerge as a global hegemon but as a global empire. American people don’t care about being an empire. But they do want the benefits, strategic and economic, without paying the price.
Economically, Americans want the growth potential of open markets but not the pains. Politically, they want to have enormous influence but not the resentment of the world. Militarily, they want to be protected from dangers but not to bear the burdens of a long-term strategy.
The American president is the most important political leader in the world because his country’s economic and military policies affect the lives of people in every country.