“Most Americans don’t seem to realize that we are in the midst of the first election the world has ever held [...] It’s being debated in every precinct of the world.”
Our Quote of the Week speaks to the international influence of the United States and the high stakes that a US presidential election has for the world community.
Our quote this week comes from 1962, during the time when Sargent Shriver was Director of the Peace Corps. While speaking of the Peace Corps’ goals as well as its accomplishments, he outlines of the importance of Volunteers going out into the world and serving others, being immersed in cultural exchanges, and then returning home more well-informed, well-rounded US citizens, but also global citizens.
The reference in the quote to the “first election the world has ever held” is notable. Here, Shriver is alluding to the increasing interconnectedness of the world and the balance of political power of the Cold War, with the US as the representative of “free government” and the former Soviet Union (USSR) as the representative of “tyranny”. As ongoing tensions grew between these two so-called “superpowers”, and with the perceived threat of the spread of Communism from the USSR, an election in the United States was seen as having international significance.
Although the world political landscape has changed significantly since the early 1960s, the United States continues to be one of the most, if not the most, influential countries in the world. From its economic power to its distinct ability to broker peace and wage war, there are few nations who can affect the policies and actions of other nations as the US can. It is important to recognize and to remember, therefore, that US citizens are, when they cast their ballots during a presidential election, choosing a direction not just for their own communities or their nation, but, to a significant degree, for the international community, as well. Seen in this context, voting becomes a responsibility that is not to be ignored or taken lightly.
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