After world war two, Europe was busy putting itself back together. It left an opening that the US stepped into. And who wouldn’t like to be the big dog in the yard.

It’s not about USA, it’s about (powerful) countries in general. China, USA, more restricted also Russia, Iran, … If someone has power (or wants to have it looks on North Korea) they also want to keep it.

There are privileges to being an empire and the capitalists in the US continue to use that empire to get access to those privileges. Favorable trade, commercial, and financing terms are a big one.

Also the US war industry pushes the country to intervene. You can see how there are interventionist and isolationist movements in the US fighting right now over how much the US gets directly involved in Iran-Israel.

I’ve heard a theory that when new presidents come into office they usually aren’t interested in being involved in conflicts. What happens is that something will happen in the world and the newly elected president will have an enormous amount of power at his disposal. Wanting to do good in the world the president will typically go for it.

I wish I could recall the name of the theory or provide references; maybe someone else can chime in.

It mostly started with the cold war. The US was obsessed with stopping the perceived threat of communism. In the process, it discovered the benefits of power mongering and war profiteering.

City on a hill bay bay /s

Remember ol’ Khrushchev when he was ridin’ high with that Sputnik satellite
He told us yankee boys, he’s gunna fill the skies with them shiny new satellites
He said “Hey Mr. Eisenhower, watcha think of my Sputnik satellite?”
Well, Ike reeled his head back
Looked him in the eye, that’s a mighty fine satellite.

But I’mma gonna get me one better, just you wait and see
I’mma gonna get me one better, you can’t get the best of me
I’mma gonna get me one better, the baddest one around
I’mma gonna get me one better, ‘cause’ I got the biggest balls in town.

The main reason is that if we stop being the biggest shark in the tank, the next two biggest sharks (China and Russia) can’t be trusted to not feast on the smaller sharks. And if they do feast, they will become too large for the American shark to deal with.

Please be respectful. Millions of Americans just protested the Trump administration’s policies during the No Kings Day gatherings. Citizens are not the same thing as their administration. Please do not broadly label them the same. Thank you.

I have an answer different from the others.

US economy depends on the US intellectual property system, a few US monopolist companies and the US dollar, and the financial system.

Especially the intellectual property system. However different laws can be in various countries, in fact everybody tries to follow US law.

It means that a lot of things produces elsewhere mean royalties to US companies, and a lot of things can’t be produced without permission, control of markets, planned development of microelectronics and tech in particular, yadda-yadda.

So - if, in some hypothetical situation, that IP system is undone, with some countries having similar laws, some more like USSR’s “public domain by default with some fixed payment to patent holders”, and all the intermediate variants, then you’ll just have a second depression. Because a huge part of the economy will shrink.

US foreign debt is a meme subject, but honestly, if USD stops being the world’s most reliable currency, you’ll also probably have a default.

US actual industrial production (what doesn’t shrink as easily) is not so impressive when looking at its size. A lot about US level of life doesn’t really match the efficiency of the economy. Say, if you look at Germany, life there is very different. In some ways better, maybe, but many things normal in the US are not achievable there.

My point is - the American IP laws were spread around by pressure. Not just that, but sometimes the monopoly roles of American companies. Part of that pressure is the military guarantor role.

If that stops being relevant, a lot of things which were a given for your economy for many years will stop existing. And for a few other economies too. It might not look as bad as the USSR’s collapse, but it will probably look as ruined and unpredictable as the 1960s world.

We’re taught to compete with each other basically at birth cos that’s what benefits capitalism and no one will break the cycle of this evil shit

You could argue that the US was pretty much bullied into that role by Nazi Germany and later on the CCCP.

I don’t think “Americans” is a good term considering a little over half of Americans prefer non-interventionist policies. Ironically, interventionist policies are bipartisan, with a large portion of both democrats and republicans taking neo-isolationist approaches to American foreign policy. Intervention can be one of four major fields referred to in politics as DIME (diplomatic, informational, military, and economic). Examples would include UN for diplomatic (we intervene via power held in the UN), 5 eyes for informational (we allow NSA to spy on allies, as long as those allies provide us with material about our own citizens), military (republicans prefer big bombs and boots on ground, Obama loved his drone strikes), and economic like NAFTA.

I feel you may be viewing this solely from a military perspective which is why I wanted to highlight these other means. Liberal IR theory actually encourages DIME, via rule of law and consensus via other democratic nation states, I.e. if Canada, and the EU want us to intervene in the Middle East, should we mind our own business? Liberal IR theory would suggest not, and that we are not being a world player. The main hypothesis in Liberal IR theory is actually the same as its more aggressive big brother called Realism or more commonly known form as “Realpolitik”. Both posit that the international order exists in a form of anarchy and it is the responsibility (whether hegemonic or multipolar) to control this anarchy via law ( for liberalism) or via power (for realism).

Generally, more of the academics you will read on this topic whether liberal or realists will claim that Americans were pulled in via a vacuum and didn’t force its way in. There are also deeper theories in this about Bipolar and regional hegemony that better explain the post WWII world. Pre-Soviet collapse, the first world appreciated the aggressive American approach as it lent a balance against the aggressive USSR. If it weren’t for the USSR, America would have returned to the western hemisphere and not intervened unless asked to by Western Europe

We were unspoiled by WW2. This gave us an unnatural ability to pull ahead economically while other nations rebuilt. We taught our citizens that this was deserved and the propaganda has stood until pretty recently. This unfair advantage is slowly then quickly unwinding.

America was the standard for a Democratic Republic after WW2.

after the war we helped most of Europe return to normal and even improved quality of life and living standards. part of that help came with stipulations on how the US had control within those countries that had help.

Had the US not stepped in at the time to stabilize Europe, another war would have likely happened and another, and another.

My guess, most of Europe would have fallen under Russian rule, or at the very least heavily influenced by, if the US didn’t step up.

I suppose European’s don’t look at how bad the war left Europe and often just want to forget the atrocities, but that’s not an excuse for blaming the hand that helped you in your time of need.

Just like America itself England can be blamed. Since there are already a bunch of WW2 answers, I’ll go back to post WW1 where England and France decided to carve up the middle east in their own interests. This created a bunch of countries with boarders that made little sense, mainly so one big influencal leader could give countries to his family members. Then jump ahead to an Australian showing up in Iran agreeing to look for oil and if he finds any he keeps 90% of the profits for 60 years. Once he found oil and made a bunch of money England said that is too good of a deal and just took over the company and changing its name to BP. Iran said this deal sucks and demanded a better deal, England said fuck you and went and asked America to step in and help them keep their deal. America sent the CIA in to cause problems, and the CIA was successful. The new leader still forced England to accept a more fair deal, but pissed off the people of Iran. So when the dictator was overthrown the new leadership was founded on a very popular policy of death to America because the CIA did what England asked them to do.

The USA was securing international trade lines. After WW2, they started doing it to counter communism and build friendships. (Cannot attack your trading partners.)

This was not entirely popular with Americans, see “Team America: World Police”.

Another country or coalition could step up. Just build a navy that rivals the USA one to secure shipping lanes.

Eisenhower warned us.

America isn’t the brand the they created as their image.

People just distract themselves from reality… We aren’t even natural humans anymore we are products created by their marketing psychological manipulation absence of the essence of true humanity.

Something’s going on. And people should start acting like it. Things haven’t been okay for a long time regardless of left or right presidents. As if a criminal enterprise has gained control of the nation and is spreading to other nations. I don’t mean America is spreading… I mean, if not just an essence, the organized crime that is orchestrating a coup in America is also out for other nations, and that world domination and world conquest is still a very real dream to eyes of many.

There is something stronger than trump and his minions. Something well funded. And remember America is young. There world wide organizations older than America.

If your not thinking with the mind of “the game”… Like criminals… Then you aren’t ever going to get a above or conquer what’s grabbing America by the balls and spreading across the globe.

Don’t ever get marketed and manipulated by that emotional glorious pride again it’s promoted that way to get you to live for it instead of genuine humanity. We have been somewhat desensitized to traditional war… But there’s a psychological social war… And fighting it means more than protesting… Because it’s all in the mind.

People weren’t lying… I’m not lying… Snowden wasn’t lying… Bushnell wasn’t lying… The people that go crazy and snap doing horrific things… Weren’t lying… They just don’t know how to handle the weight.

When you come to, and realize… You understand the war has been there for a long time and honest genuine humanity is far far behind.

Most of the Republicans and Democrats both citizens and politicians are gone already, as pawns, without an understanding of the real game. Like kids used by cartels, gangs and mafias. There is a bigger enemy that isn’t marketed to people. The real enemy hides while using people as pawns.

Meanwhile in another thread I saw some Brits bitching about America not entering WWII until the end of 1941.

You’re the bad guy for trying to stay out of international affairs, you’re the bad guy for getting into international affairs. If you find yourself forced to play a game you can’t win, Just start hurting people.

You sure are an american since you dont know your own history.

I want Finland to rule the world.

After WW2 the US became addicted to being the world police and many other countries were happy to have the US cover the cost of their defense or income from hosting US bases. Selling arms is also big business and the DOD justifies it by saying that it keeps personnel and manufacturing lines for weapons running.

Pretty much when the US was the only super power to survive WWII unscathed.

Also, having developed atomic hellfire, and the will to use it (twice), kinda makes you the big kid on the playground.

The citizens, in general, don’t. We want to do the same thing every other country’s people want - live our lives and hopefully give our kids a good or better one.

I have no fucking clue what the government is doing to make these decisions.

I’m gonna answer from the perspective of someone who believes the world is a better place when it is led by America without reverting to a thin jingoist ideology. These aren’t my views, but a steel man of someone I would disagree with.

Why does America feel the need to control the world?

In the wake of the world wars, we realized that the world is best off with one power to lead the world. No powers and multiple powers will result in another world war. We were the best position to take that role after WW2 and resist the Soviet union’s attempt to gaining that position.

Do what they say?

Many of these countries don’t do what America says because America says it. Heck, many go against what we say. But they believe in a better world and when they remember that, they undtand that America is putting themselves in the most danger by clearing that path for the rest of the free world.

Instead of taking care of their own problems at home?

The problems we have at home are pretty limited. Most of these problems are born out of laziness. But we keep the criminals in check both at home and abroad.

When did the US become police officer of the world and enforcer?

If we didn’t step up after ww2, the world would have slipped into another world war or deem communism run rampant.

I guess my question is who gave the Americans the right?

The civilized world at the end of WW2. And under our leadership, the world is safer and healthier for it.

I say this as an American. But would not the world be a better place if we just minded our own business and quit nation building and stoking non existant fires?

From communism to extreme religious views, we are the only ones who are capable and willing to step up and protect the world against that. It’s a difficult and thankless job.

Because it’s an empire. Everything else is clever marketing.

Because people in power only want one thing - more power. They only fear one thing - loosing power.

Every empire has those aspirations.

There are many ways to achieve it through the complex relationships between countries and societies (e.g. soft power, cultural influence, militar control, etc) but an empire willing to try it at any cost with any means will always succeed for longer as an empire…

Anybody who thinks about that question enough always realizes they don’t want that kind of power and control. Sometimes people think about it partly, get excited by the promises of power, but only misrepresented by their own misunderstandings, and mistakenly think they do.

Nobody actually does, just not everybody realizes it fully.

Because authoritarians convinced the American people that military interventions prevent terrorist attacks to distract them from the reality which is that terrorist attacks are caused by American interventions.

It’s only possible to convince Americans of that because they are shockingly ignorant of history and they believe whatever the warmongers tell them.

Kinda how they were “last man standing” in WW2. Everybody else got severely fucked and they won them over by with the Marshall aid program which got us to a bi-polar world with NATO in which the US was the hegemony.

After the fall of the Soviet Union and before the rise of China there was only one superpower that could act as such militarily and then US continued their power trip.

I’m German and went to the US for a year as a high school student.

My US history teacher literally told us that the US is the world police. Because of that I believe that many Americans think that way.

Nobody gave ‘murica any right, they just imposed themselves. The simple answer is imperialism. USA was always a power and money hungry bitch and has been putting nations, populations and markets under their boots (not always thru military force) for profit since the late 1800s. Yes, they’ve been an evil empire for that long. Latin America as a whole has suffered many hells so uncle sam could keep commodities’ prices super low.

No one, powerful countries just assume that they are needed everywhere in the world so they start acting like narcissistic bitch like US.