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Free World

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For other uses, seeFree world (disambiguation).

TheFree Worldis apropagandaterm,[1][2]primarily used during theCold Warfrom 1945 to 1991, to refer to theWestern Blocand aligned countries.

The term refers more broadly to allliberal democraciescollectively,[3]as opposed toauthoritarian regimesandcommunist states.[4]It has traditionally primarily been used to refer to the countries allied and aligned with theUnited States,theEuropean Union,andNATO.The term "leader of the free world" has been used to imply a symbolic and moral leadership, and was mostly used during the Cold War in reference to thepresident of the United States.

History of the concept

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Origins

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See also:Allies of World War IIandParticipants in World War II

DuringWorld War II,theAllied powersviewed themselves as opposing the oppression andfascismof theAxis powers,thus making them "free". Following the end of World War II, theCold Warconception of the "Free World" included only anti-Soviet states as being "free", particularly democratically elected states withfree speech,afree press,freedom of assemblyandfreedom of association.

During the Cold War, many neutral countries, either those in what is considered theThird World,or those having no formal alliance with either the United States or theSoviet Union,viewed the claim of "Free World" leadership by the United States as grandiose and illegitimate.[5]

One of the earliest uses of the termFree Worldas a politically significant term occurs inFrank Capra'sWorld War IIpropaganda filmseriesWhy We Fight.InPrelude to War,the first film of that series, the "free world" is portrayed as a white planet, directly contrasted with the black planet called the "slave world". The film depicts the free world as the Western Hemisphere, led by the United States and Western Europe, and the slave world as the Eastern Hemisphere, dominated byNazi Germany,Fascist Italyand theJapanese Empire.

21st century usage

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While "Free World" had its origins in theCold War,the phrase is still used after the end of the Cold War and during theGlobal War on Terrorism.[6]Samuel P. Huntingtonsaid the term has been replaced by the concept of theinternational community,which, he argued, "has become the euphemistic collective noun (replacing" the Free World ") to give global legitimacy to actions reflecting the interests of the United States and other Western powers."[7]

Leadership of the Free World

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United States

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George H. W. Bush,thepresident of the United Statesduring theFall of Communism.

The "Leader of the Free World" was acolloquialism,first used during theCold War,to describe either theUnited Statesor, more commonly, thepresident of the United States.The term when used in this context suggested that the United States was the principaldemocraticsuperpower,and the U.S. president was by extension the leader of the world's democratic states, i.e. the "Free World".

But remember, we have differences with our allies all over the world. They are family differences, and sometimes they are acute, but, by and large, the reason we call it "free world" is because each nation in it wants to remain independent under its own government and not under some dictatorial form of government.

The phrase has its origin in the 1940s during theSecond World War,especially through theanti-fascistFree Worldmagazineand the Americanpropaganda filmseriesWhy We Fight.At this time, the term was criticized for including theSoviet Union (USSR),which critics saw as a totalitarian dictatorship. However, the term became more widely used against the USSR and its allies during the 1950s in the wake ofTruman Doctrine,when the United States depicted a foreign policy based on a struggle between "a democratic alliance and a communist realm set on world domination", according to the American magazineThe Atlantic.[8]The term here was criticized again for including right-wing dictatorships such asFrancoist Spain,andNikita Khrushchevsaid in the21st Congress of the Soviet Communist Partythat "the so-called free world constitutes the kingdom of the dollar".[8][9]

Although in decline after the mid-1970s,[8]the term was heavily referenced in US foreign policy up until thedissolution of the Soviet Unionin December 1991. After the presidency ofGeorge H. W. Bushthe term has largely fallen out of use, in part for its usage in rhetoric critical ofU.S. foreign policy.[10]However, the term is still used at times to described the president of the United States.[11][12][13]

European Union

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On 6 May 2010, upon an address to theplenary chamberof theEuropean Parliament,the then US Vice PresidentJoe Biden,stated thatBrusselshad a "legitimate claim" to the title of "capital of the free world", normally a title reserved for Washington. He added that Brussels is a "great city which boasts 1,000 years of history and serves as capital of Belgium, the home of many of theinstitutions of the European Unionand theheadquartersof theNATOalliance. "[14][15]

Germany

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Angela Merkelserved as theChancellor of Germanyfrom 2005 to 2021

WhenTimedeclared theGerman ChancellorAngela MerkelTime Person of the Yearfor 2015, they referred to her as "Europe's most powerful leader", and the cover bore the title "Chancellor of the Free World".[16] Following the election ofDonald Trumpto the US presidency in November 2016,The New York Timescalled Merkel "the Liberal West's Last Defender",[17]and a number of commentators called her "the next leader of the free world".[18][19]Merkel herself rejected the description.[20]An article byJames RubininPoliticoabout a White House meeting between Merkel and Trump was ironically[21]titled "The Leader of the Free World Meets Donald Trump".[22]

German commentators agreed with Merkel's assessment,[21]andFriedrich Merz,aCDUpolitician, said that a German chancellor could never be "leader of the free world".[23]In April 2017, columnistJames Kirchickstressed the importance of theGerman elections(on which "the future of the free world" depended) since America had "abdicated its traditional role as leader of the free world by electing Trump, the United Kingdom was turning inward after the referendumdecision to leavethe European Union, and France was also traditionally unilateralist and now had an inexperienced president "; he called Merkel" something less than leader of the free world... but something greater than the leader of just another random country ".[24]References to America's abdication of its role as leader of the free world continued or increased afterDonald Trumpquestioned the unconditional defence ofNATOpartners and theParis climate accord.[25][26]

Jagoda Marinić,writing forThe New York Times,noted that "Barack Obama all but literally passed on the mantle of 'leader of the free world' to Ms. Merkel (and not Mr. Trump), and most Germans feel empowered by that new responsibility" and that Germany "is coming to understand its role in standing up for liberal democracy in a world turning more and more authoritarian."[27]

Other commentators—in the United States and Europe—rejected the appellation "Leader of the Free World":[28][29]some argued that there is no single leader of the 'free world';[30][31]others queried whether Merkelremainedthe "leader of the free world" and the champion of liberal values.[32]Questioned about Merkel's standing following her performance in theGerman elections in September 2017,former US Secretary of StateHillary Clintonopined that Merkel was "the most important leader in the free world".[33]However, after Merkel's party suffered losses in the 2017 election and there were delays in forming a government, the claim that Merkel is the true leader of the free world was referred to as a "joke",[34]described as a media phenomenon,[35]and otherwise called into question.[36][37][38]

When Merkel retired as chancellor,Hillary Clintonwrote that "she led Europe through difficult times with steadiness and bravery, and for four long years, she was the leader of the free world."[39][40]

See also

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References

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  1. ^Haight, David J. (April 2008)."Propaganda, Information And Psychological Warfare: Cold War And Hot—A List of Holdings: Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library"(PDF).Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home. p. 3.Archived(PDF)from the original on 18 March 2021.Wide use of labels such as 'Free World,' is, itself, a form of propaganda intended to influence particular audiences.
  2. ^Gardner-Bird, Samuel (6 May 2022)."The Myth of the" Free World "".Inkstick.The term "free world" is a propaganda term coined in the 1930s, initially as a slogan against the rise of fascism.
  3. ^"THE FREE WORLD | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary".Retrieved14 April2023.
  4. ^"Free World".Dictionary by Merriam-Webster.Merriam-Webster, Inc.Retrieved18 January2021.
  5. ^Wills, Garry (March–April 1999). "Bully of the Free World".Foreign Affairs.78(2): 50–59.doi:10.2307/20049208.JSTOR20049208.
  6. ^"Left Alone by Its Owner, Reddit Soars".The New York Times.2 September 2012.Retrieved2 September2012.If the leader of the free world stops by to answer questions from your users, you're probably doing O.K.
  7. ^Huntington, Samuel P. "The Clash of Civilizations," 72Foreign Aff.22 (1992–1993)
  8. ^abcTierney, Dominic (24 January 2017)."What Does It Mean That Trump Is 'Leader of the Free World'?".The Atlantic.
  9. ^William Safire.Safire's Political Dictionary.Oxford University Press; 2008.ISBN978-0-19-534334-2.p. 265.
  10. ^John Fousek (2000).To Lead the Free World.UNC Press Books. p. 130.ISBN0-8078-2525-5.
  11. ^Flanagan, Ryan (19 January 2021)."Does 'leader of the free world' still accurately describe the U.S. president?".CTVNews.Retrieved21 July2024.
  12. ^Gotev, Georgi (14 February 2022)."The Brief – The leader of the free world".www.euractiv.com.Retrieved21 July2024.
  13. ^Tierney, Dominic (24 January 2017)."What Does It Mean That Trump Is 'Leader of the Free World'?".The Atlantic.Retrieved21 July2024.
  14. ^"Biden sweet-talks MEPs on anti-terrorism deal".Retrieved19 May2017.
  15. ^"2010 News from Washington".sarajevo.usembassy.gov.Embassy of the United States Bosnia & Herzegovina. Archived fromthe originalon 16 February 2013.Retrieved19 May2017.
  16. ^Gibbs, Nancy (9 December 2015)."Why Angela Merkel is TIME's Person of the Year".Retrieved29 November2015.
  17. ^Smale, Alison; Erlanger, Steven (12 November 2016)."As Obama Exits World Stage, Angela Merkel May Be the Liberal West's Last Defender".The New York Times.
  18. ^"How Angela Merkel, a conservative, became the 'leader of the free world".The Washington Post.21 November 2016.Retrieved29 November2017.Now, she is being hailed as the 'leader of the free world' on social media and by some commentators as the Obama era nears its end, Britain is beset by upheavals over plans to leave the European Union and France faces its own break-the-mold populist surge.
  19. ^Richter, Konstantin (17 November 2016)."Angela Merkel's new job: global savior".Politico.The fear of a xenophobic populist in the White House has liberals everywhere looking to Berlin for moral guidance. They tout Angela Merkel as the new torchbearer for human rights. They call her the next leader of the free world.
  20. ^Shuster, Simon (12 December 2016)."Why Angela Merkel Isn't Ready to Be the 'Leader of the Free World'".Time.Retrieved29 November2017.Many commentators even began referring to Merkel as the new leader of the free world, a title that she dismissed as 'grotesque' and 'absurd'.
  21. ^abNaß, Matthias (22 March 2017)."Nein, die Führerin der freien Welt ist Merkel nicht"[No, Merkel is not the leader of the free world].Die Zeit.Retrieved29 November2017.Als 'absurd und grotesk' hat sie den Gedanken zurückgewiesen, die Führung des Westens könne vom amerikanischen Präsidenten auf den deutschen Regierungschef übergehen. Eigentlich eine pure Selbstverständlichkeit, aber vielleicht wären andere für die Schmeichelei empfänglich gewesen. ['Absurd and grotesque' is how she rejected the idea that leadership of the West could be transferred from the American president to the German head of government. Which goes without saying, really, but others might have been more receptive to such flattery.]
  22. ^Rubin, James P."The Leader of the Free World Meets Donald Trump".Politico.Retrieved29 November2017.
  23. ^Krauel, Torsten (12 June 2017)."Ein Bundeskanzler kann nie 'Führer der freien Welt' sein"[A German chancellor can never be 'leader of the free world].Die Welt.WeltN24.Retrieved29 November2017.'Ein deutscher Bundeskanzlerkann nie "der Führer der freien Welt" sein'...
  24. ^Kirchick, James (6 April 2017)."Op-Ed: Germans need to recognize that the future of the free world depends on their election".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved29 November2017.
  25. ^"Matthew Fisher: Merkel's moment to lead? Trump's exit from Paris accord further riles Europe".National Post.Retrieved29 November2017.
  26. ^Vennochi, Joan (31 May 2017)."Merkel, not Trump, rules on the world stage".The Boston Globe.Retrieved29 November2017.
  27. ^Marinic, Jagoda (25 June 2018)."Opinion - Trump Is Saving Germany's Liberals".The New York Times.
  28. ^"The Merkel doctrine: Germany is not the new leader of the free world".The Economist.8 July 2017.Retrieved29 November2017.Once Mr Kohl's protégée, the chancellor of his reunified Germany is sometimes dubbed the "leader of the free world" in the Anglo-Saxon media. Yet such epithets get things wrong.
  29. ^Hoffmann, Christiane; Müller, Peter; Traufetter, Gerald (9 July 2017)."Isolating Trump: Merkel's G-20 Climate Alliance Is Crumbling".Der Spiegel.Retrieved29 November2017.The German chancellor may have become the hero of liberals and democrats around the globe, but she is unable to fulfill the expectations placed on her as the putative "leader of the free world," at least not when it comes to power politics. Even Merkel's psychological deftness in dealing with the posturing potentates of the world isn't enough to make up for the fact that Germany is not a global power when it comes to foreign and security policy. America, it seems, will remain the world's power broker for the time being.
  30. ^Slaughter, Anne-Marie (17 July 2017)."Discard old ideas of a leader of the free world: Never mind Trump or Merkel, global problems demand a collective approach".Financial Times.Archivedfrom the original on 10 December 2022.The idea of one 'leader of the free world "will soon come to seem very quaint indeed.'
  31. ^"Who is the leader of the free world?".10 July 2017.Retrieved29 November2017.The G20 underscored more emphatically than ever before that there is no one leader of the free world anymore.
  32. ^Shepp, Jonah (25 September 2017)."Angela Merkel Won Reelection, But Is She Still the Leader of the Free World?".Retrieved29 November2017.
  33. ^Ali, Yashar (24 September 2017)."Clinton Says Angela Merkel Is The Most Important Leader in the Free World".Retrieved29 November2017.
  34. ^Porter, Henry (20 November 2017)."Angela's Ashes: Will the Collapse of Merkel's Germany Leave Europe on the Brink?".Vanity Fair.Retrieved29 November2017.With the election of Donald Trump, the joke has been that Merkel, not the sitting U.S. president, is the leader of the free world...
  35. ^Hucal, Sarah (21 November 2017)."Germany's political coalition crisis stokes fears the far right could rise".ABC News.Retrieved29 November2017.Months after being hailed by media as the new leader of the free world, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing the greatest political crisis of her 12 years in office.
  36. ^Nougayrède, Natalie (21 November 2017)."Germany's crisis means uncertainty for Europe. But it won't be fatal".The Guardian.Retrieved29 November2017.If Merkel was supposed to be the leader of the free world in the era of Trump and Brexit then what might the future look like without her?
  37. ^Rogan, Tom(5 December 2017)."Is Germany the new leader of the free world? Not a chance".The Washington Examiner.Opinion.Retrieved26 December2017.... the idea that Germany is somehow going to rise to displace the U.S. in global leadership is utterly ludicrous. It lacks the means, intent, and credibility to do so.
  38. ^Bershidsky, Leonid(19 December 2017)."Maybe the Free World Doesn't Need a Leader".Bloomberg. Opinion.Retrieved26 December2017.Merkel, however, probably doesn't fit the bill. Weakened by the last election, she has found herself embroiled in the longest coalition talks in Germany's post-World War II history. Even if she's back on top by Easter, global leadership will be pretty far from her mind as she settles into what's likely to be her last term in power. She doesn't even have an obvious successor in her party. Besides, she has always shown much more interest in shaping the European Union to Germany's benefit than in leading the world, free or otherwise.
  39. ^"Hillary Clinton appears to mock Donald Trump in her tribute to Angela Merkel".MSN.
  40. ^Creitz, Charles (8 December 2021)."Hillary Clinton jabs Donald Trump on Angela Merkel's last day: 'Leader of the free world for 4 years'".Fox News.
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