In an October 16, 2023 column for the New York Times, liberal economist Paul Krugman lamented the decline the “Pax Americana” and argued that MAGA Republicans were to blame. The term “Pax Americana” refers to a period of relative stability in the West following World War 2, and that stability, according to the concept, was encouraged by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
A lot has happened politically since Krugman wrote that column. Donald Trump won the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign following a widely criticized debate with Trump, Republicans flipped the U.S. Senate, and Trump narrowly defeated then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the general election before returning to White House on January 20, 2025.
Krugman revisits the “Pax Americana” subject in an article posted on his Substack page on February 10, warning the stability of the West is in serious danger during Trump’s second presidency. And Krugman is highly critical of the “destruction of” the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which, […]
Mr. Krugman is an intelligent apologist for the American Empire. He believes that because we were more benevolent, we were also more moral and better than the empires who have come before. It is certainly refreshing to have empire discussed as a more mainstream topic, as the discussion of reality is preferable to the fantasy based discussions generally appearing in the main stream media. Despite Mr. Krugman’s waxing lyrical about the virtues of “Pax Americana”, I suggest that he ask the citizens of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Haiti, Lebanon, Serbia, Panama, Chili, and many other places around the globe who have tasted “Pax Americana”. They might have far different opinions. Mr. Krugman is certainly aware enough to understand that although USAID has done good things it has also operated as a cover for the destabilization efforts of the CIA over the years. The American public has never been consulted regarding it’s country being the center of empire. The public would have probably declined the invitation, but no choice was ever offered. This brings me to my last point, Mr. Krugman is also intelligent enough to understand that running a world wide empire is incompatible with democratic values. In fact, it is why we live in such a non-representative Republic. The military-industrial complex distorts all relations it touches, political and economic. So yes, Mr. Trump is taking apart the empire. It may not be his goal, but it will be the end result. The faster this can occur the better for all of humanity.
Hopefully, Americans will come to their senses in November, 2026, but until them, it will be rough going. If MAGAs believed that he was going to lower grocery prices, then they are not too bright and should be upset right now. He is harming every department that would actually help them. The world will definitely step back from this strange leadership that they have seen before, but in Europe, not the US. So after prices in many areas rise substantially, the MAGAs may wake up and dare to vote a Democrat to the House and Senate and thereby truly limiting hie powers for the rest of his term. Right now, that’s the only hope!