Sizova Y.D.
RAYMOND ARON'S CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THE USA *
Аннотация:
the article is devoted to Raymond Aron’s reasoning about the USA, the bloc confrontation between the USA and the USSR and the Americanism ideology
Ключевые слова:
French School of International Relations, atlantism, deideologization, americanism, capitalism, confrontation, cold war, mutual assured destruction, USA Empire
The French School of International Relations is associated with the name of the philosopher, political theorist and sociologist Raymond Aron. Aron’s work in the field of international relations theory is multifaceted. Aron paid much attention to the United States in his works. Raymond Aron, being an opponent of communist ideology right up to the mid-60s, shared ideological clichés about America’s good mission and the impossibility of saving Europe without the USA. Anti-communism had practical goals and acted solely in the USA’s interests and in the political elites of atlantism’s interests - the geopolitical and cultural influence of Western European civilization on other regions of the world. It is possible to snatch proMarxist “progressively thinking” intellectuals from the influence of the most attractive “secular Religion” of the 20th century only by exposing all these “tenets of the pseudoreligious basis of Marxism-Leninism” showing the intellectuals that Marxism is not the movement to which they belong, but the faith inspired by them [1]. Thus, the theory of deideologization was formed. Based on the principles of the deideologization theory, Aron urged the representatives of the US intellectual community to break with the tradition of ideological immersion and intolerance, to stop idealizing, to start thinking and acting responsibly and systematically. The Aron’s merit is the popularization and spread of influence of the so-called ideology of “Americanism”. Aron endows Americanism with the following features: “it combines respect for the constitution, individual initiative and humanity; it is inspired by strong, but obscure beliefs, a cult of science and business”. In addition, Aron notes the fact of the capitalism effectiveness: “in fact, the main reason for dissatisfaction of the European left-wing with the United States is that the latter have succeeded by means that are not included in the revolutionary code. Prosperity, power, striving for uniformity of economic conditions - these results were achieved through private initiative, through competition, and not through government intervention, in other words - through capitalism, which every properly educated intellectual is trained to despise” [1]. Aron talks about the United States in his memoirs. Regarding domestic politics, Aron, as well as other American sociologists, believes that the game of lobbyists, pressure groups, the press and Congress limits freedom of president’s maneuver. An important place in Aron’s research is occupied by the blocs opposition of the United States and the USSR, the issues of nuclear deterrence. “When both camps are equally capable of bombarding cities, the mind orders them to refrain from it. Atomic equality makes enemy armies the No. 1 target” – says Aron. Reasoning does not lose its significance currently. In 1970, the Americans proclaimed the doctrine of “mutual assured destruction”. Aron, criticizing the doctrine, notes that nuclear threshold overcoming would inevitably lead to extremes of the total nuclear war. In turn, the French scientist pusses for the graduation of intimidation, as well as for strengthening the conventional armed forces where restraint by massed repression is acceptable to a small degree [3]. In 1972, Raymond Aron publishes the work “The Imperial Republic of the United States in the World, 1945–1972”, in which he presents the Anglo-Saxon concept of the Continent Island. In the second part, he reflects on the conflicts unreasonableness, Aron is disappointed with the fact that heads of government can do nothing to prevent wars. R. Aron calls the United States the “imperial republic,” quoting U.G. Drayton: “Empires have their zenith, and there is also a period of decline and disintegration. The Most High chose our generation to exalt the American Empire. The United States is the Empire that, barely appearing, attracted the attention of the entire Universe, and with God’s blessing, it has tremendous chances to become the most celebrated of all known empires in history”. This Aron’s work can be called historical. The author highlights different stages of the USA’s development. For example, by the end of the 19th century, the “imperial republic” of the United States became the industrial giant. As a result of a series of small wars and far-sighted acquisitions, the USA was able to expand its territory, unchanged to this day [4]. After analyzing the works of R. Aron, we can conclude that the scientist was a representative of a new research direction that emerged at the junction of sociology and international political science - the sociology of international relations. It should be emphasized once again that R. Aron made a significant contribution to the development of the “Americanism” worldview, he was opposed to capitalism, Aron criticized the methods of the bloc confrontation between the USA and the USSR. The Aron’s French school had significant influence on decision making of the US Congress.
Номер журнала Вестник науки №6 (15) том 2
Ссылка для цитирования:
Sizova Y.D. RAYMOND ARON'S CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THE USA // Вестник науки №6 (15) том 2. С. 97 - 99. 2019 г. ISSN 2712-8849 // Электронный ресурс: https://www.вестник-науки.рф/article/1589 (дата обращения: 20.04.2024 г.)
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