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By Wang Yiwei
2016 U.S. presidential election, with dramatic uncertainty brought by clowning-around Donald Trump and the dilemma of the U.S. public in choosing between the two unpopular candidates, is definitely the most eye-catching one in years.
In general, Trump is not expected to win the favor or support of American consortium and the elite group because of his bombastic and obnoxious rhetoric. However, the Republican Party unexpectedly failed to stop him and granted him the formal nomination.
As for Hillary Clinton, she is expected to be the only one who could stop Trump, which has won her strong support from American consortium and the elites evidenced by helping her with email controversy. However, Hillary is also disadvantaged on some counts: old face; old party -- the Democratic Party already in office for eight years.
The electoral mess makes this year’s U.S. presidential election full of suspense. During this election, American voters have clear-cut and firm stance against or for each of the two candidates. Though money politics remains, the hypocrisy of American democracy is unveiling.
Foremost, triple effects of the traditional U.S. election are no longer sustainable:
First of all, for the ruling class, the U.S. general election periodically integrates American society’s political power, distributes its interests, adjusts its policies, as well as plays a role of Capitalism's self-criticism.
Traditionally, the election is nothing more than a choice between Pepsi and Coca-Cola. But this time, the election seems to be a choice between Coca Cola and Sprite. People outside the U.S. think Republican candidate Trump is different, whereas Americans regard him as a symbol of the inclusiveness and innovation of the American politics.
Such a cognitive gap between Americans and the rest of the world usually misleads people’s judgment over the result of the election. Just as people have drawn from the dramatic Brexit that the elite politics and the rational choice are no longer the same as before, this has also sounded the alarm to American voters.
Secondly, for the ruled class, the election is an important way to increase the legitimacy of bourgeois governance, release social discontent, and focus on the long-term stability of the U.S. The election takes the form of separatism to achieve a higher level of unity, and integrates the U.S. society through internal conflicts and cooperation. In the meantime, it plays a role of referendum to judge the current government’s performance and continue its legitimacy to govern. But this year’s election seems to have gone beyond this: It is a referendum on globalization -- stick to globalization or back to isolationism.
Thirdly, from a global prospective, the election is a platform in which the U.S. political culture is diffused, and its soft power is enhanced. It also sets a stage for the U.S. to further interfere in other countries’ internal affairs and practice its own democratic ideas.
The election has secured unparalleled attention worldwide, which exactly meets the expectations of the U.S. ruling class as they are given a tacit consent in terms of power transition.
It seems the U.S. election is a matter for everyone, which clearly demonstrates the global influence of the U.S. and serves as an important internal force that justifies its role as a “leader” in the world.
The distinctive feature of this election is that the focus of debates has changed from how to “lead” to “taking lead or not”, which also reflects the transformation of relations between the U.S. and the rest of the world.
With the triple effects fading away, does it imply that the American democracy is enduring alienation and deterioration? We will wait and see.
(The author is a professor at Renmin University of China)
(Disclaimer: This article only represents the author's viewpoint. It does not necessarily represent the editorial opinion of Xinhuanet.)
