Susan Strange writes her article mainly focused on her opinion on the current Global World Market and how it is diminishing the power of the state. Strange begins her argument by showing the disillusionment in the current world when she says that the people no longer believe in the politicians who believe they have the answers to the economic and social problems. Strange even gives examples of states that have been brought down by the citizens becoming unsatisfied with leaders as what happened in the Soviet Union and some central European States. Strange shows the possibility of collapse to exhibit her severity in her argument.
Strange's possibilities of how even the state should be run is fueled by her faith in the common man. "Perceptions of ordinary citizens are more to be trusted than the pretensions of national leader and bureaucracies that serve them." She even states that the commonsense of the common people are a better guide than the theories taught in unversities. This bold statement is Strange's somewhat rebellion against the globalized market that looks over the commoner and focuses on the corporation.
Strange argues that the world markets are now more powerful than the states to whom the political authority over society and economy is supposed to belong. Even that the markets are now masters of the government states and not the other way around.
Strange goes on about her three paradoxes that exist in this economy. The first being that the state intervenes with the everyday life of people in different ways, whether it be laws for health, transport systems, etc. But the state's power is still diminishing. Fundamental reason for the state is the need for political authority of some kind. Something the market cannot give but apparently the state can't either.
Paradox number two involves the governments of the developed states suffering due to the loss of real authority while at the same time there is an increase in the minority societies to become their own nation. The idea of autonomy for such ethnic or cultural societies is not possible in the world market so the best given to them, if it is given, is statehood.
The third and final paradox is the idea that this issue of diminishing authority is only a western phenomenon. The examples are given from the Asian states who are not facing the same issues, whether that is because of historical occurrences, market freedom, etc., but soon will pressured more. The need to open their economy to competition, even foreign, is rising to benefit their consumers and producers. These authoritarian states will be susceptible to the market and lose their power just like other nations have.
Strange's point of view on the constant change of technology is that it illuminates changes in the power of states and the power of markets. And the increasing change, then increases the market which in turn gives the market more power. The inevitable part is also that there is no reason to believe the advancement of technology will ever stop.
My point of view of Susan Strange's argument is one of not complete compliance. I agree with much of what she argued but where can we go from here? The fact that the 100 wealthiest nations includes 49 corporations is very close to home especially in the current issues facing the United States economy. But the hope is that someone can change that, that someone could hold us above sea level before we drown.
I really agree with the severity that Strange brought to her argument, and that we can't just take all of this lightly, but the reader is left with no solution. I fear that the only way to be once again prominent is to start over but to be able to do so would mean that something would have to fall. And falling may be easier done then we, as happy citizens, are willing to admit. Just like the Soviet Union fell, the disbelief in our politicians is already a strong characteristic in our economy and that loss of hegemony could mean the replacement with something else. Commonly when there is a lack of hegemony, there comes a rise in force. Would America rise and change the situation by force before the all is lost or will we still pray to our hegemonic society that the elites somehow can pull us onward to a better World?
-Aaron Price
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