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Nº 8 (2025)
Global Security
Nuclear Disarmament as a Vanishing Scenery
Resumo
The creation of nuclear weapons for the first time in the history of humankind put under threat the very existence of contemporary civilization. The negotiated legal norms of nuclear arms control have become a man-made tool for preventing this threat. During the last 65 years, a grandiose architecture of the international cooperation has been built by the efforts of many states. This is the greatest historic achievement of humankind. This system has incorporated an overwhelming majority of United Nations member states. Talks on nuclear arms have resulted in dozens of treaties and agreements, which have reduced the number of nuclear weapons almost by an order of magnitude, stopped their testing, and limited their proliferation. Nonetheless, during the last decade the architecture of nuclear arms control has entered a stage of disintegration. The reasons lie in a drastic escalation of tensions in great powers' relations, a changing world order and the development of advanced weapon systems and disruptive technologies. Donald Trump's return to power in the U.S. has up till now provided no certainty regarding the preservation or renewal of nuclear arms control. Meanwhile, the transition to multipolarity presents much higher requirements for such a system. If it fails to emerge, the polycentric world will turn into a stage of global nuclear chaos.
USA & Canada: economics, politics, culture. 2025;(8):5-18
5-18
The Impact of the Technological Factor in the Space Sphere on Strategic Stability
Resumo
The changing technological structure of modern society has had irreversible effects on the development of military systems, which are the basis for ensuring the security of Russia and the United States. Measures to strengthen the security of each of the great powers certainly affect the state of strategic stability, forcing the other side to search for a symmetrical or asymmetrical solution to maintain the balance of power. The changes taking place in the space sphere are revolutionary in nature - what seemed unrealizable at the end of the 20th century has become possible. The American armed forces, in cooperation with the commercial sector, are creating mega-constellations of military satellites or dual-use satellites, increasing the capabilities of the US armed forces and their allies to maintain real-time situational awareness with the help of constellations of various types. The degree of secrecy and maturity of the technologies is quite high, but nevertheless, an assessment of various factors allows us to identify trends with a certain degree of probability that can affect the strategic stability regime.
USA & Canada: economics, politics, culture. 2025;(8):19-28
19-28
The Development of US Technological Cooperation with the Republic of Korea and Japan in the Context of US-China Rivalry
Resumo
In the context of the escalating technological rivalry between the United States and China, cooperation with key allies in the Asia-Pacific region – South Korea and Japan – is of particular importance to Washington. The United States considers cooperation with technologically advanced South Korea and Japan an advantage in the technological race with China and an important tool to contain China's influence in all strategically important areas of modern technology. The most pressing areas of cooperation between the United States, South Korea, and Japan are the diversification and maintenance of stable supplies of minerals needed for the production of semiconductors, the creation of a more secure global supply chain for semiconductors, the development of AI technologies, and joint projects in the areas of sixth-generation mobile communications (6G). Despite the active institutional development of cooperation between the countries, which is enshrined in various bilateral and trilateral agreements, there is still a problem with the lack of a common approach to curbing China's technological development. The weak link in the alliance is still South Korea, which depends on China for both chip production and chip distribution. China's rapid technological development and its superiority in many areas of modern technology also do not allow these countries to surpass China in this technological race.
USA & Canada: economics, politics, culture. 2025;(8):29-37
29-37
Foreign Policy
President Biden's Legacy in the Middle East: a New Balance of Power in the Region
Resumo
Israel's war in Gaza has upended the balance of power in the Middle East, creating new opportunities for countries seeking influence. This article seeks to analyze how the dynamics of the conflict have affected regional security and identify the implications of these changes for the defense strategies of both Middle Eastern and external actors. The article argues that, as Israel seeks to defeat Hamas, there are no concrete plans to end the conflict in Gaza. Tensions have risen in the West Bank, with Israel planning to formally annex the Palestinian territories, fulfilling a long-standing aspiration of settlers. It emphasizes that Israel's actions have weakened Hezbollah, but its complete destruction is unlikely. The article analyzes the results of the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, which have caused another shift in the balance of power in the region. Iran's influence has become much weaker: its vast network of allies, both state and non-state, has suffered significant losses, but still poses a threat to US interests in the Middle East. The author believes that the strategy of the second Trump administration will focus on strengthening cooperation with Israel to contain Iran's nuclear aspirations and further weaken Iran's economic potential.
USA & Canada: economics, politics, culture. 2025;(8):38-50
38-50
The Escalation of the Conflict Between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea and Strengthening of the U.S.-Philippines Alliance
Resumo
The article aims to assess the key characteristics and implications of the conflict escalation between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea after the inauguration of the Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. administration in 2022, with an emphasis on the strengthening of the U.S.-Philippines alliance and its repercussions for the regional security. While the Philippines have become more willing to counter China in the South China Sea and protect their rights, China has substantially increased its coercive pressure on the Philippines in the ways that fall short of war. China and the Philippines regard each other’s behavior as confrontational and provocative, which leads to further escalation and exacerbates the security dilemma between the two, heightening the risk of military conflict potentially involving the U.S. The strengthening of U.S.-Philippines alliance has resulted in new arms deployments that could potentially target China. U.S. access to military bases in the northern Philippines might enable their use for forward deployment in case of the conflict over Taiwan. However, the Philippines increasingly risk being involved into the Taiwan conflict.
USA & Canada: economics, politics, culture. 2025;(8):51-63
51-63
Domestic Politics
Black Conservatism in the Trumpist Agenda
Resumo
The article is devoted to studying the impact of the Republican Party under the influence of Donald Trump on Black conservatism in the United States. Analyzing the process of formation of this ideological movement in the African-American community, the article notes its fundamental postulates. The article considers the main elements of the modern policy of the Republicans under the leadership of Trump in relation to the African-American community. The Republican Party focuses not just on addressing a number of urgent problems supported by the majority of African-Americans, but also promotes a number of measures aimed exclusively at increasing support among the conservative part of the Black population. Special attention is given to Trump's cooperation with opinion leaders in the African-American community, capable of increasing the popularity of the Republican conservative agenda among this category of the US population. Finally, the article analyzes the continued growth of support for Trump among African-Americans, especially among Black men, which corresponds to the plans of the Republicans to create a multiracial conservative coalition.
USA & Canada: economics, politics, culture. 2025;(8):64-76
64-76
Problems of the Two-Party System in the U.S.
Resumo
The American two-party system is experiencing significant problems due to the fact that the majority of the population does not see in the two parties political institutions that effectively represent their interests in the bodies of power. Accordingly, the number of supporters of these two parties has decreased significantly over the past two decades, while the number of people changing party orientation from election to election has increased. The main group of voters does not consider themselves to belong to any party, characterizing themselves as "independents". At the same time, there is growing support for the creation of "third parties" or a multi-party system similar to European party systems. A number of studies show the possibility of implementing such party reforms in the United States.
USA & Canada: economics, politics, culture. 2025;(8):77-94
77-94
History
Creating the United Nations in the U.S. Foreign Policy Strategy of the 1940s
Resumo
The article examines the evolution of the U.S. foreign policy strategy during the Second World War, which allowed the establishment of the United Nations. It assesses the changes in the strategic thinking of Washington's leadership, primarily the transition from isolationism to global engagement. The authors note that the administrations of Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, when changing their foreign policy, drew on such a constant as the idea of American exceptionalism, but transferred it to a global scale. This, in turn, required the establishment of global institutions that could become a vehicle for the abovementioned maxim. The U.S. policy towards the establishment of the U.N. is examined through the lens of R. Putnam's two-level game model. Attention is drawn to the domestic political difficulties of Franklin Roosevelt's administration, including the need to secure the support of a Congress hostile to global organisations, and foreign policy obstacles, primarily related to attempts to find a balance with the position of the USSR. The authors analyse various proposed models of global institutions, such as the restoration of the League of Nations or the establishment of regional fora, and conclude on the reasons for the success of the idea of creating the U.N. The article examines the determination of decision-making modalities in the U.N. Security Council (UNSC), the key military-political body of the organisation, as a specific example of the projection of the U.S. foreign policy paradigm shift on the establishment of the world organisation. It demonstrates the efforts of U.S. diplomats to strengthen the American position in the organisation by promoting decision-making by a simple majority and limiting the veto right of the UNSC permanent members. It points out that Washington was able to achieve two main objectives: to consolidate at the legal level its exclusive status and to introduce the theoretical possibility of discussing any subject in the UNSC (while reserving the right to block it by a simple majority).
USA & Canada: economics, politics, culture. 2025;(8):95-107
95-107
Economics
Trade War 2.0 between the US and China: Global Economic Duel
Resumo
The systemic confrontation between the US and China in 2025 has resulted in a new tariff war. Washington's policy of containing China, which began with the first Trump administration and was "picked up" by Biden, did not lead to the desired results. Tariff and sanctions pressure of past years did not restrain the country's emergence as the world's largest economy and a world leader in innovation. The country continued to develop rapidly, increasing its military and economic potential. The next phase of escalation, which began with Trump's return to the White House, involves a multilevel strategy of containing China. On the one hand, in includes new import tariffs aimed at reducing mutual trade between China and the US to a minimum; on the other hand, is seeks to isolate China by pressuring its key trading partners through the imposition of high tariffs on exports to the US. The only option left for Washington to avoid a negative scenario was to conclude trade deals with the US on new terms, which implied a drastic reduction in imports from China, as well as a refusal to turn the signatory country into a platform for re-export of Chinese products to the US. Washington set a 90-day deadline to conclude such agreements, suspending the introduction of the promised high tariffs for all countries except China. In the first half of 2025, Trump aims to resolve the trade issue with most countries in the world, and to reduce China's ability to export its products at previous levels. This is likely to deal a blow to China's national economy, and the country's ambitions and desire to become the world's largest economy will face serious obstacles. The further development of China as a global leader depends on the creation of anti-tariff alliances, efforts to convince countries not to align with the United States, and the expansion of the domestic market through stimulus programs.
USA & Canada: economics, politics, culture. 2025;(8):108-117
108-117
Culture
Conclave: Catholicism, Church Politics, and Progressive Ideology
Resumo
The article focuses on The Conclave, a Catholic political thriller, a best-selling novel by Robert Harris and its screen adaptation based on the Academy Award-winning screenplay by Peter Straughan. The ideological essence of the work, its theological and canonical validity, and its place in current socio-political discourse are examined. The author argues that, while not explicitly anti-Catholic, The Conclave offers a secularized reduction of intricate theological and spiritual issues and advances a progressivist agenda with the intent of transforming the Roman Catholic Church into one of modern liberal institutions where the Divine Trinity is replaced by Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion. Thus, the glorification of the film by Hollywood and American mainstream film critics is largely due not to its artistic merits, but as yet another propaganda tool for the ongoing culture war in the United States.
USA & Canada: economics, politics, culture. 2025;(8):118-127
118-127
Articles
Informatsiya dlya avtorov
USA & Canada: economics, politics, culture. 2025;(8):128
128