Is the world a Victim of American Cultural Imperialism?

I read some interesting articles on Imperialism and decided to see if the World is a Victim of American Imperialism.  Imperialism is the policy or action by which one country controls another country or territory.  Most such control is achieved by military means to gain economic and political advantages.  Such a policy is also called expansionism.  An expansionist state that obtains overseas territories follows a policy usually called colonialism.  An imperialist government may wish to gain new markets for its exports, plus sources of inexpensive labor and raw materials.  This particular debate will focus on weather or not the world is a victim of American Cultural Imperialism.

Many arguments have been proposed about the world being a victim of American Cultural Imperialism.  In the first debate Julia Galeota argues that American Cultural Imperialism has taken over the world.  She starts off her debate by stating that the motivation behind American Culture Imperialism is for the desire to access foreign markets and the belief in the superiority of the American culture.  America wants to control all the world’s consumers.  Even though the United States has one of the most powerful and largest economies, it still wants to control more and expand.  Popular fast food joints such as McDonalds can now be recognized all over the world.  Such American control hurts the foreign industries as they are unable to compete with the economic strength of the U.S industry.  Another point that she makes is that corporations don’t mind the “Americanization” of foreign cultures.  They believe that American culture is superior and benefits from the less developed countries.  The United States acts as hegemony by dominating the other country economically and culturally.

On the opposite side of the argument is Philippe Legrain.  He is in defense of Globalization.  Philippe Legrain argues that Globalization gives a new view to the other countries.  It brings out new experience and gives the best that the world can offer. Globalization increases the freedom of an individual and renews the cultures through technologies, and foreign influences.  He believes that “the best comes from a mixture of cultures”.  Philippe states that it is “any ones choice what to eat or drink”, but it does not necessarily mean that one is becoming an American in any way.  The idea of liberalism spreading can sometimes be blamed on immigration and not just the idea of American influence.  Technology is another factor that reshapes cultures.  People have choices as to weather or not to use technology or not, and it’s up to them to make those decisions.  It just happens to be that everyone picks the same thing, which is also the better choice.  Legrain explains that the use of technology won’t harm a country that was never exposed to something like the internet.  It would only expose them to new ideas and spread or greater diversity.  People can have foreign things, but that does not necessarily mean that they are loosing their identity.

The issue of Cultural Imperialism and American influence can be viewed from different perspectives.  Julia Galeota sees this issue from a Realist Perspective.  Realists see globalization as product of power structure.  The United States tries to dominate the other countries looking to get back something economically.  The more goods the U.S. will export the more they will benefit.  In this debate, America’s goal is to access the foreign markets and present themselves as the stronger country.  They want to benefit more than other countries.  This type of action is known as the zero- sum.  In a zero-Sum, one country will benefit more than the other.  In this case, America wants to expand them-selves economically.  They do that by trying to draw foreign countries into perusing the “American Culture”.  By other countries buying out American products, America benefits and the other countries are drawn into the American Culture.

According to Julia Galeota, America’s objective is to increase the wealth of the country by introducing the culture of
America to foreign countries.  This would also be known as Mercantilism.  Mercantilism tries to explain that wealth of one country is based on trade.  In this debate we can see that America tries to market their goods and tries to “implement the image of America being cool” so foreign consumers obtain the same American products.  The concept of Hegemony can also be applied to this debate.  A Hegemonic country is one that tries to dominate a less developed country just to benefit from it.  American has a supreme culture that it tries to implement on others. With one country dominating the other, it doesn’t mean that both will benefit.

Cultural Imperialism can also be viewed from a Liberal perspective.  From a Liberal Perspective, the way Globalization works is through a positive sum-game.  In a positive sum-game, all countries can profit from it in one way or another.  It’s a win-win situation.  Philippe Legraine writes his article in defense of Globalization and looks at it from a Liberal perspective.  He states that globalization helps counties develop and learn from strong standing, countries such as the
United States.  It “increases individual freedom” and regenerates cultures through technological changes.  In this debate Legraine explains that technology, and not
America, is reshaping the culture of countries. Countries have individual choices as to use technology or not.  Legraine also mentions that America is not the only one benefiting.  The countries that want to experience a mixture of culture can do so.  It can help them increase in their development.  One less developed country benefiting from a country that is more developed is called comparative advantage.  It gives the less developed country a chance to expand and rise culturally and economically.

The two debates are viewed from different standpoints. I agree with Julia Galeota and her realist perspective. The world is a victim of American Cultural Imperialism.
America is trying to benefit from the other countries by marketing their culture. They are the hegemonic country that is dominating the less developed countries. 
America puts itself as an example, making other countries follow the American trends.
America will try to improve itself economically in any way possible. Other countries loose their cultures, by being overpowered by
America. It tries to control worldwide consumers. I believe that
America tries to make profit for it self instead of making it and equal sum-game. It’s in the American interest to benefit and become a stronger country then the other. American culture can be seen around the world. Fast food restaurants, American made cars, and stores are sold by Multinational corporations around the world to increase the amount of export. When the amount of exports exceeds the number of imports it will start benefiting the country. And in this case, with
America spreading its culture around the world, it thins the cultures of other countries.