Power, Economics, and Security: The United States and Japan in Focus by Henry Bienen

Author:Henry Bienen [Bienen, Henry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780367284084
Google: Feq7xgEACAAJ
Goodreads: 51221910
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2019-05-07T00:00:00+00:00

The Normative Appeal of Success

The failure of the Soviet Union to legitimate its rule in Eastern Europe was also a function of the widespread perception among Warsaw Pact members that the Eastern bloc was losing out in its competition with the West. Pact members saw themselves encircled by the capitalist powers are were destined to devote their energies to catching up with the West's military power. Matters were even worse in the economic realm. Basic consumer goods were unavailable. Access to Western media made most East Europeans well aware of their relative deprivation. These conditions made it even more difficult for the Soviets to legitimate their system. Unlike most other noncapitalist regimes, the Soviet regime staked its legitimacy on the ability of the Communist system to keep up with the West in the production of wealth.43 As Soviet economic performance deteriorated and the comparisons with the West became more glaring and invidious, the legitimacy of the Soviet regime arid its claims on Eastern Europe became increasingly threatened.44

The logic runs in the opposite direction for the Western bloc. For the most part, citizens in North America and Western Europe have believed the Western alliance has contributed substantially to their well-being. Whether justified or not, many see NATO as having neutralized the Soviet threat. Economic conditions in the West also have far surpassed those in the East. Despite regional differences and upswings and downswings, Western countries have enjoyed remarkable economic well-being compared with the rest of the world. These successes have facilitated the legitimation of U.S. hegemony.

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