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Obama Marxist Perspectives

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The speech Mr. Obama gave to the graduates of West Point looks into how, in the future, the United States is going to lead the world and thus their country should aim for peaceful international relationships. Since America is one of the most powerful nations on the globe, there is no doubt that the strategies and decision makings within it have vast influence towards not only the international security of other countries, but also their political form. This essay will be discuss the different approaches, primarily realist, liberal, Marxist perspectives, and the perspective that is the most convincing within Mr. Obama’s speech. To begin with, one with a realist perspective would agree with America’s action to increase its state power by …show more content…
Obama is aware that cooperation with multinational corporations leads to win-win benefits, not only for the international peace but for the growth of the economy. The United State has changed their focus from being a hard power to being a more economic soft power. “A growing economy […] can provide opportunity for everybody […]” (Obama, 2014), and trading internationally develops trust which can limit the happenings of war when mutual interests are obtained. For example, in the case of the Iranian nuclear programs, the United States worked through multilateral channels in a coalition to impose sanctions on their economy instead of using military forces (Obama, 2014). This indicates Mr. Obama’s awareness that working with other countries helps solve issues peacefully, and consider that acting as a soft power is more effective. Moreover, liberals will like the fact that the United States respects the rules of law and working with international institutions. “[I]n the 21st century, America isolationism is not an option. [Mr. Obama says he will] make sure America is out front putting together a global framework to preserve our planet” (Obama, 2014). After World War II, the affinity that the United States has had with the international institutions has conserved peace in the world system. For example, NATO, United Nations, World Bank, and I.M.F., although they are not perfect (Obama, 2014). Have risen the steadiness …show more content…
Obama claims that states benefit from each other. According to the Dependency Theory, mutual-benefits do not work with every country. Trading internationally is not a fair gain but hierarchical and exploitative. The wealthy people dominate the economy and exploit the poor to enrich themselves. Despite what liberals would assert, globalization is not beneficial for everyone as it pulls a greater gap among the rich and the poor. Examples can be seen from countries in the Central and South America, where politics and economics were developed from European imperialism and are now under American’s domination. This refers to the World Systems Theory that those who lives in Latin America are in a bad position. They are forced to rely on rich countries’ markets, like the United State, and are held in a global system of exploitation. Nevertheless, Marxists see Mr. Obama’s speech in the idea of neo-Gramscian that is spreading American leadership and capitalist philosophy. By definition, neo-Gramscian “emphasized the influence of hegemonic ideas and institutions in a global hegemonic system.” This idea can reflect onto the content of Mr. Obama’s speech, and the usage of media to broadcast capitalism makes the United Stated more completive and superior on the global scale. Mr. Obama says, “[America’s] economy remains the most dynamic on Earth, [… and businesses are] the most innovative. Each

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