[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by RN7

Well there were no superpowers before 1945 as no one country could be considered absolutely dominant. There was just a collection of great and regional powers notably America, Britain, France, Germany, Japan and Russia. Until 1914 only Britain due to its naval power and the size and wealth of its empire could be considered a dominant power worldwide, but until WW2 no country was dominant although some were more powerful in a military, economic and technological sense than others.

I tend to agree with you. Then how could Britain pretend to have been a superpower? My answer was only considering our own saying. However, you forgot about USSR: Definitely a military power, no need to advocate that it was politicaly influencial, until its economical collapses of 1991 it was a true weight (Too bad Yeltsin listened to US and the FMI, what else could you wait from a drunk?), at a technicological level it often was a match and it took the lead in several fields, culturaly it was very influencial (and still is) except in US but that was only because of a political paranoid choice by US (something US shared with USSR for 45 years, they had Beria, US had Mc Carthy).

Originally Posted by RN7

Well there was the Monroe Doctrine and major wars involving American forces against Mexico, Spain and Germany, as well as numerous small battles and expeditions across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Until the 1930’s the US military considered Britain and the British Empire a major rival and capable of threatening the continental US, which Britain was in both cases. The US Army came up with War Plan Red in 1930 to invade Canada in hostilities with the British Empire to prevent Britain using Canada as a staging point to attack America. The plan wasn’t declassified until 1974.

Major wars with Mexico or Spain, you can't be serious? What wars with Germany? US was involved in WW1 but only when the bet had ended. It was a great help nonetheless but essentially proved that it was highly influencial at the diplomatic level in one of the smartest move since the 1815's peace. Then, it withdrew from the bargain, failing to conduct it to its conclusion, leaving europeans to mess it around. I didn't include ww2 simply because it resulted in US becoming a great power. What is amaizing is that USSR could chalenge it for so long given the level of destruction and casualties it sustained.

Originally Posted by RN7

It has actually been in decline since the late 1940’s as North America was hardly effected by WW2 in comparison to Europe and Asia, but has since recovered. This trend was temporarily reversed with the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990’s but has since been on the decline again.

I'm not sure we understand each other on that one

Originally Posted by RN7

US economic power has been seriously challenged since the 1970’s by Europe and Japan, and now China has joined in. The combined EU has a larger economy than the USA, but the USA is once country not 27.

I'm talking only at the economic level. In that matter, EU largely acts as one country, sometimes more closely bound that the 50 US states. I never stated that EU was a country. If I wish it could become one, I doubt that it ever will.

Originally Posted by RN7

This all goes in cycles, in the 1950’s all the best gadgets were American, from the 1980’s they were Japanese, and now they could be designed in any number of countries and built in another. Basically I look at the brand name and there plenty of nice fancy gadgets being built by American companies at the moment.

Equally true for anyone else (at least in the OCDE). American companies are no longer american as European companies are no longer european.

Originally Posted by RN7

In what way is Germany or Asia more culturally influential than America?

In a simple way. The cultural center had largely been Paris between 1850-1950, New York between 1950-1995, now it definitely is Berlin. Outside of mass products, there are very few qualitiy cultural production going out of US at the moment (no more for France, for exemple). When americans artists are well known they go to Berlin, a few decades ago it was the opposite. If you get to food, you can forget about US (Burger..., are going down quick). In that field, Germany is equally a wasteland but asia is quite dominant (France is still there, but the French Cuisine is no longer the dominant one). Germany is rising in music (with Britain still there). Asian movies (that could include Russia) is in a good position. However, I will agree on one thing, the cultural world is always on the move and it changes faster than yesterday. One last thing, I don't count politics when I talk culture. And an ultimate one, I would not count culture as something to determine if a country is or is not a superpower.

Originally Posted by RN7

Of the major powers in the world only Russia is not dependent on oil imports, Britain is also fairly self sufficient in oil for the next few years but their part of the EU. America is probably in a better position than Europe and most of Asia in oil dependence, as in addition to its own oil it borders Mexico which is a major oil producer, and Canada which has the largest oil shale reserves in the world. The only real alternative to oil in energy production is other fossil fuels such as coal and gas, nuclear power or green energy production methods such as hydro, wind etc. Unfortunately green energy is only going to have a marginal effect on the energy needs of most countries, and in regards to coal America has the world’s largest reserves and it also has the largest nuclear power industry on the planet.

And does it still thinks in term that are outdated by 50 years ? I don't think so, US may not be in Kyoto but Americans (I mean people) are really motivated when you get to new energies. At least all those I know and that's quite a few people. If US was only to rely on coal and nukes, it will be down before the 25 years we were talking about. I'm sure they will use them but I also think that americans are smarter than simply counting on this. In addition, what happened in the Gulf of Mexico will make its mark (I hope). I don't know what Americans think about it, I know that Europeans underestimate it but, for my part, I consider it to be a catastrophe that will prove as bad as Chernobyl. I'm more confident than that in Americans, what made US such a great contry was its capability to be inovative. I don't think it's gone, all the contrary.

I think we could agree on the conclusion but everything will depend on the choices that are made on the long term. I fear that US could underestimate the rest of the world and, as a result, lose a lot, especially as the world still overestimate US.