Chapter 27: Exercising America’s Moral Power (Part II)

Such a matter of great moral clarity—could the United States, even out of humanitarian concern, remain silent as the leading civilization in the world? The U.S. must stand on the moral high ground of humanity and solemnly condemn the disasters caused by Communism. In resisting the expansion of Communism, America is the decisive force in the world. Since the 19th century, with the opening of the world’s four oceans and five continents, countries have been in frequent contact, and no nation can survive in isolation. Across 200 countries, the establishment and maintenance of world order require a leader; only then can the world advance in an orderly way, while disorderly actors are sanctioned and pulled back into line. Yet we must also acknowledge that sanctions alone have limited effect. David Dollar, director of the China-U.S. Relations program at the Wilson Center’s Kissinger Institute, observes: “Because the United States, aside from telling the world that China’s actions are inhumane and against humanity, has little actual power to enforce these sanctions. The U.S. has few options.” Confronting Communism cannot rely solely on sanctions; the United States must employ a “combination of measures.”

For more than a century, the U.S. has remained the decisive global power. What must be asked today is: why has the United States stood by passively in the face of the global expansion of Communist forces? Why has it tolerated a Communist ideology that opposes human civilization? On questions of right and wrong, America has repeatedly made catastrophic mistakes, and the root cause lies in humanistic education. Many of America’s top leaders cannot even distinguish between “Communism” and “democratic socialism.” In the 2020 presidential election, prominent Republicans repeatedly conflated Nordic-style democratic socialism, advocated by U.S. progressives, with China’s authoritarian Communism.

The U.S. is technologically advanced and need not fear falling behind in science, but it should fear cultural and humanistic decline. University enrollment in humanities has been falling for many years. The fact that higher education is not free remains a disgrace for a world-leading nation. Children grow up focused only on video games; students are glued to their phones, lacking even basic common knowledge, let alone moral education. Church attendance has steadily declined, and faith in God is fading—America’s greatest crisis. How could a “magician” president emerge? When he appeared on the scene, he acted wildly, and people, regardless of his words, were captivated by his “reality show” persona. In the final electoral push, he could win tens of millions of votes as citizens became mesmerized by his spectacle.

The World Journal editorial of February 9, 2021, “This Wave of Storms Shows the Decline of American Civility,” aptly noted that Congresswoman Marjorie Greene relied solely on the false information of QAnon and believed it unquestioningly. Can the United States govern through such individuals? How did such legislators manipulate populist elections? Why were so many voters easily swayed? These phenomena force reflection on the quality of American education and the lack of basic moral training. A poorly educated electorate produces low-quality officials. When such officials are combined with a shameless president, it is inevitable that the country is deceived by Communist propaganda and led down a path where right and wrong, good and evil, are indistinguishable.

Historical lessons must be absorbed: when America is correct, all nations benefit and peace prevails; when America errs, the world descends into chaos, and nations suffer. For the U.S. to continue as a beacon of democracy and a leader of global civilization, it must stand on the moral high ground and manifest its moral power.

“Free societies have always faced challenges from internal corruption, inequality, injustice, polarization, populism, and threats to the rule of law,” President Biden wrote in the preface to the Interim National Security Strategic Guidance. “The COVID-19 crisis accelerated nationalism and nativism, fostering isolationism in all countries, reducing prosperity and security. Democracies increasingly face challenges from hostile authoritarian powers.” Biden continues, “I firmly believe democracy is the key to unlocking freedom, prosperity, peace, and dignity. We must now demonstrate, without doubt, that democracy can solve problems for our people and for the world. We must prove that our model is not a relic of the past but the indispensable path to fulfill our promises for the future.” If American democracy is not to become a relic, it must illuminate the minds of the people.

As early as 1779, founding father Thomas Jefferson said, “The most effective means to prevent power from degenerating into tyranny is to enlighten the minds of the people to the utmost. Especially to let them know the lessons of history, so that they may possess the accumulated experience of different eras and nations. The people can discern various forms of ambition and use their natural rights to defeat them.” Jefferson also said, “Only the people are the sole protectors of their own interests. If they are to remain secure, their understanding must reach a sufficient level. A nation expecting to maintain freedom in ignorance has never existed in a civilized society and never will.” Sadly, today’s American politicians do not meet the intellectual standard set by the founders.

Jefferson had much to say about educating the people. “I am convinced that the people are the only reliable guardians of their liberty. Their minds must be enlightened to a certain stage, or they cannot be relied upon. Therefore, assessing the current state of our freedom, I find it temporary and fragile; the people must be enlightened to a sufficient degree for us to attain security. Most importantly, I hope education of the people is emphasized. I am convinced that relying on their sound judgment provides the most reliable safeguard for our liberty.” That the American people elected Trump in 2016 illustrates the continuing need to improve educational quality.

Zhong Wen concludes: the imperial examination system of the Qing Dynasty, though heavily criticized today, required that passing the initial level of the exam demonstrated basic moral standards and humanistic knowledge—a “license” to enter officialdom. The United States requires licenses for almost everything, yet it lacks such a “license” for governing. Anyone can run for Congress or the presidency, so long as they can incite and garner votes. Is this democracy? Is democracy merely about mobilizing votes? Public office and governance are the nation’s most important affairs. Shouldn’t the U.S. establish a basic threshold for its leaders? When national leaders fail even in fundamental humanistic and moral literacy, how can they govern the country and lead global civilization?