Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher once said to former US President George H.W. Bush that only the United States could bear the heavy responsibility of leading the world; Britain could not, not only due to insufficient national strength but also a lack of such height, because Britain is a product of history, while the United States is built on a philosophical foundation.
The meaning of great power rise has changed.
Britain's rise relied on pirates to defeat Spain's invincible fleet. The 'Glory and Dream' of the Third Reich was to sweep across Europe, clearing out 'inferior races' to create 'living space' for the superior German people. After occupying Northeast China, Japan dispatched a large number of development groups, claiming that such fertile land was not fit for the Chinese to possess, and it rightfully belonged to the Yamato nation as their homeland. Genghis Khan and the Mongol cavalry relied on the fear of city slaughter to conquer, which in modern times can only be compared to nuclear weapons.
Strength is not useless, but in today's world, its effect has greatly diminished. The Houthis are not afraid of American aircraft carriers, and Somali pirates have not been deterred by warships from various countries. Russian President Putin's thinking is largely still stuck in the era of Tsarist Russia, valuing strength alone. When Russia invaded Ukraine, they thought the problem could be solved in a few weeks; as a result, after more than two years and hundreds of thousands of casualties, the war still shows no signs of ending, and the country faces unprecedented isolation and sanctions, making recovery difficult for decades. After World War II and the Cold War, a large number of miniature states emerged, which by old strength principles should not exist, and even if they did, they would not last long. But now they live leisurely, and even have a vote in the United Nations. This world is changing. Openly exterminating other nations is no longer feasible. Putin's logic that nothing is better than 'bombers flapping their wings' sounds reasonable but is extremely difficult to implement. The newly formed international community exerts strong public opinion pressure. The meaning of great power rise has changed, becoming a synonym for 'widely accepted.'
By Guo Liangping