Socio-economic causes and consequences of Barack Obama’s administration passiveness in global policy

Abstract

The article examines the intra-American processes under the influence of which the B. Obama administration’s global policy course was formed and implemented. It is claimed that the passive global policy of the United States in 2009-2017 was formed in unfavorable for the adoption and implementation of ambitious foreign policy decisions conditions. Firstly, the psychological fatigue of American society from the «endless wars» of the previous administration of George W. Bush. Secondly, the negative effects of neoliberal economic globalization on the masses and industry of America. Thirdly, the impact of the global economic crisis of 2008 on the country. Solving the latter was the main task

of the democratic administration in Washington, and the fight against this crisis determined the logic of B. Obama’s domestic and foreign behavior during the many years of his presidency, including identifying ways for America to address global environmental issues, its actions in intergovernmental organizations, responding to international social, including political crises.

It is emphasized that due to the material and human losses caused by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the global economic crisis in the United States by the end of 2008 lost much of its potential «smart» power in the global arena – both military power and economic potential, the country was forced radically to limit the use of the military component of their «hard» force, instead, intensify the use of such components as sanctions, the role in the functioning of international regimes, until the potential of Washington’s force is restored. Along with the diminishing role of America’s «hard» power in the global arena, the importance of its «soft» power (bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, external attractiveness) has increased. The use of Washington’s material incentives to influence other capitals and non-state actors in the global arena has also been limited by the need to use them to overcome the effects of the economic crisis in America.