What Makes America the Greatest Country in the World

Introduction

When asked to explain why America is often hailed as the greatest country in the world, the explanation may seem obvious – it is the richest or the strongest. However, should it be based more on cultural impact, military strength, or the head of the policies? Does great country status apply primarily to citizens or is it fully spread to all people in the country, for example, immigrants? These are just some of the many factors that make America the greatest in the world.

This paper will delve into these factors in order to try to determine why so many people believe America is the greatest country in the world. Militarily, the United States is the most powerful country in the world; this much is clear. The United States military budget is over seven hundred eighty billion dollars, despite holding only 5% of the world's population. The United States also has control over nearly a quarter of the world's land. Economically, the United States is also among the most powerful. With a gross domestic product over $20 trillion, the U.S. economy is the most powerful in the world. In addition, the United States' biggest companies generally hold high-payout statuses as well. The United States also holds a significant position on a global basis for charitable giving. Some of the most prominent charities are based in the United States, and various celebrities are known for their humanitarian efforts and philanthropic causes. The United States' cultural impact is also significant. The country has one of the richest musical traditions in the world, from country and blues to hip hop and jazz. American movies and television are well-known around the world as well and are a significant export for the country. Lastly, the United States has made some significant strides related to diversity over the past few decades. The United States, by offering equality to all races, has had an impact in terms of social justice as well, as people prefer to live in the United States as opposed to a religiously totalitarian state. Some of the most racist countries in the world are located in the Middle East or in some European countries, which illustrates the difference in our country. Based on these factors, it is clear why some would believe the United States to be the greatest country in the world.

Economic Power and Innovation

The United States has always been one of the most powerful countries in terms of economics. With a GDP of $21.44 trillion, American businesses lead the world and often publish record-shattering statistics. The U.S. economy is an innovation economy; it is energetic and fast-paced. Business is often started by entrepreneurial individuals, often with a focus on technology. Collectively, they lead the charge in almost every recent statistic about starting a company and becoming profitable. In terms of world share of GDP, the U.S. makes up about 23%, while the U.S. population is just over 4% of the world’s population.

Some of the world’s most powerful and influential companies are based in the U.S. and are leaders in technological advancements. Three of the largest ones are all primarily tech companies with world-spanning reaches: Microsoft, Alphabet, Facebook. Its workforce is equally impressive, with substantial and increasing research and development numbers. The U.S. has been increasing research and development spending every year, and the R&D spend was $666.1 billion in 2018 and in 2019 was estimated to spend $719 billion with a forecasted 2020 budget of $744 billion. The total R&D as a percent of GDP is also getting bigger, from a percentage of 2.5% of the world’s GDP in 2000 to 2.7% in 2010, to 2.8% of the world’s GDP in 2018. The U.S. has been a world leader in higher education for a very long time. Higher education in the U.S. offers students the chance to become skilled members of a qualified workforce. Research has shown that on average individuals with a 4-year degree earn 51% more than those who just graduate high school. The longer higher education is earned, the more money employees can expect to earn. For example, a person with a professional degree makes 25% more than an individual with just a master’s degree. Skilled workforces are highly sought after and are sometimes the deciding factor for companies when moving into a different country. The U.S. is also incredibly attractive to skilled workers from other countries. In 2017, there were 87,073 H-1B visas issued, which was a 9.1% increase from the previous year. These are temporary visas for specialty occupation workers. The process involves a lottery, and due to high demand and low allocations, the visas are only for workers in occupations that require theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge in a field of human endeavor. Positions that are approved to be filled with H-1B workers generally have the highest approval rates.

Cultural Influence and Soft Power

American films are watched by audiences across the globe. American music is listened to by large numbers, and American fashion is known for influencing global trends. Thus, many scholars see American culture as a key expression of American power. American soft power relies on cultural exports ranging from lifestyles in 20th century films to yoga, meditation apps, and Marvel movies in the 21st century. The creators of these American images of the Orient and all ideas in between are the many scriptwriters, producers, and investors in the American media, arts, and entertainment industries. Many also view cultural diplomacy as a type of public diplomacy in that it seeks to broadly engage foreign citizenries in ways that lead to better understanding, confidence, and even friendship toward the country and its people. This understanding, which begins with interest in jazz or the promise of opportunity from an educational exchange, is thought to lead to better appreciation of regional people and their own values toward democracy, freedom, and human rights.

One of the benefits of understanding cultural diplomacy within this broader framework and not just as a single tool is that it also helps to counteract criticism of public diplomacy and globalization. Critics of public diplomacy argue that it is too propagandistic and seen as too authoritative by skeptical foreign audiences in ways that prevent public diplomacy programs from shaping foreign publics’ understandings and opinions of the country. For years, scholars and practitioners have also feared a homogenized global culture. While American cultural exports are influential, a world dominated by American music and films would dull the senses of even the most devoted global citizen. Critics argue that U.S. public diplomacy outreach, especially film, accelerates such decline. Some regularly argue in diplomatic forums that Americanizing the planet is a threat to regional identity and consequently to global peace, understanding, and tolerance. More conservative voices view American film as being rife with self-loathing sentiments over corrupt politicians, pollution, racism, and multinational corporations that render international audiences hostile toward Americans and the West. Media and other platforms that disseminate U.S. culture and policies globally have raised criticisms over the right of foreign citizens and their governments to protect their national and local cultures and economies from American formats, values, or interests. These critics all view cultural diplomacy as a threat instead of an asset, one that can affect individual interests, local, regional, and international relations, and policies in the future. Americana, alongside other countries’ cultural influence, has all been questioned and is sometimes seen as a threat in their own countries to human rights, civil society, and even liberal and other political institutions. However, the opposite is often true. Such exchanges are powerful, persuasive soft power tools that enable the real culture of America abroad to be digested, perceived, and deeply understood through experience. For more than seventy years, the broad umbrella of cultural diplomacy—people-to-people programs, educational exchanges, and exhibits—has effectively symbolized and communicated these aspirations to the world: liberty, democracy, opportunity, inclusion, and a more just world.

Military Strength and Global Leadership

When it comes to military capabilities, the United States is unrivaled in its capacity to project force. With defense spending that dwarfs all other countries, America boasts more serial production of fifth-generation aircraft than all other countries combined. Such military strength can be a double-edged sword, but overall it serves as the foundation of America's global leadership. After all, the U.S. armed forces represent not only an extension of American power, but the promise of security to all those who benefit from America's global order. The advantage of military strength is that, for the most part, it keeps the peace. A military circle begins with deterrence, aims at peace, and in so doing creates a sensation of the Westphalian national security model. A large number of military personnel operate mainly as a deterrent against rogue states or violent non-state actors. On the one hand, the politicians of countries with well-functioning professional militaries must sell such a position to the public to avoid accusations of being warmongers. On the other, leaders of less stable or more tyrannical regimes must talk tough to remain in power. Once in motion, a high level of military performance is assured if munitions and visits from head office to the theater contain an element of realism or even bluff. Indeed, because America has always been a leader, collective security and goodness have led to the assumption that its military might is comparative. With the end of the Cold War absolute, the United States found itself the most powerful nation on earth. This shift has entrenched the idea that military power has concomitant responsibilities, such as conducting peacekeeping missions and other humanitarian endeavors. In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, the notion of “hard power” came to encapsulate that period. After the invasion of Afghanistan in search of Osama bin Laden, a unilateral American military option entered the history books.

Diversity and Opportunity

The United States, as it exists today, is a multiracial, multi-ethnic, and multinational state with people from all walks of life. The United States is the fourth largest by land area and the third most populous in the world. All of these people create a diversified social fabric and ideally lots of opportunities for innovation and change. The home of the brave, the land of the free; the idea of the American dream is one that has been around for ages. No matter how humble your beginnings, the land of opportunity will always present a chance for you to overcome those economic hardships that the world has placed upon you.

The United States has a population of 331 million people, with almost one million immigrants arriving officially per year since the early 2000s. The United States has also taken in 38,000 refugees in 2018. This population is far greater than that of the United States' 75 million from its first census in 1790. It is said that diversity makes the United States stronger, as collaboration can result in various solutions. Ideas that are allowed to travel far may be tested in a variety of places and can contribute to a collective effort in times of crisis. While this blend of backgrounds can be seen as a collective expense, it is also a powerful avenue for social and economic resilience. While the most diverse cities are vibrant, they are also filled with the kind of socio-economic inequality that can lead to social frustration. It is up to the nation as a whole to keep trying to 'form a more perfect union' and see everyone as equals in the eyes of the law and the land.

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