The United States and the People's Republic of China: Are They Both a House of Cards Requiring Domestic Rejuvenation?
Abstract
Deterrence at its core seeks to affect the perceptions of an adversary and a strong military underpins U.S. strategic deterrence. Often overlooked when discussing strategic deterrence, however, are a strong economy and the political will to deter adversaries and wage war should deterrence fail. As a part of its deterrence strategy, the U.S. must rejuvenate itself domestically understanding that it shares many of the same vulnerabilities as the PRC. If the U.S. is not honest, as it relates to understanding the PRC, understanding itself, and understanding the larger geopolitical environment, it risks seeing strategic competition with the PRC escalate to a war that the U.S. may not win and one that will undoubtedly serve as a catalyst to an economic disaster far worse than most Americans have encountered. This research seeks to depict that the U.S. should take a page out of the PRC's book in buying time to rejuvenate itself domestically rather than risk a war with the Chinese that would severely diminish the U.S.' ability to prosper over the coming century. Understanding U.S. vulnerabilities can help policymakers implement policies that would bolster U.S. strategic deterrence.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 11, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1210161
Entities
People
- Michael A. Tozzolo
Organizations
- Naval War College