American Political Scientist Samuel Huntington - 1401 Words

American political scientist Samuel Huntington once pointed out that although modernity breeds stability it is modernization that breeds instability. Many of the world’s greatest economists forecast that China will overtake the United States as the world’s economic powerhouse in the near future. However, that will largely depend on how well the Chinese government can control its modernization both politically and economically. China’s rapid ascension through its distorted economic reforms has undermined the United States’ economic interests and can lead to the potential usurpation of America’s role as the world’s leading political power. China’s modernization is of great concern because if it does end successfully then political scientists†¦show more content†¦Stalin’s goal was to not only catch up to the West, but to overtake it. Under a communist regime, all economic decisions are made by the state, for the greater go od of the community. Private ownership is virtually nonexistent and there are no classes. Under Stalin the Soviet Union focused its economy on militaristic production. In fact, it accounted for approximately 30% of national production toward the end of Stalin’s regime. The economy even sustained growth for the next several decades. However, their military policies set a dangerous precedent for the nation as by the mid 1980s that number rose up to 70% under Gorbachev. Such a high number created a shortage of industrial goods for the rest of the economy which resulted in stagnation and eventual decline. On the opposite side of the world, the United States’ military spending sat at about half that of their Soviet counterparts. The Soviets’ goal of maintaining parity with their American rivals, resulted in massive shortages in the agricultural sector. In order to feed its people, the Soviet government had two options: it could borrow money from the west, or reduce military spending. If they borrowed from the West, they knew they would not be able to put down any rebellions since the West could retaliate by suspending their funding. However, if they reduced military production surely it would have meant the demise of the Soviet state and the failure of Communism. The American