--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After the Second World War, facilitating…" description: "\"After the Second World War, facilitating the establishment of the UN and aiding the reconstruction of Europe, the United States was widely viewed, at l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db9/richard-a-falk-8295_benevolent_after-the-second-world-war-facilitating_1555906.jpg" --- # After the Second World War, facilitating the establishment… ![“After the Second World War, facilitating the establishment of the UN and aiding the reconstruction of Europe, the United States was widely viewed, at least in the West, as a benevolent hegemon. In the non-West, the US was often perceived as a supporter of the colonial powers in their struggle to…” quote by Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db9/richard-a-falk-8295_benevolent_after-the-second-world-war-facilitating_1555906.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db9/richard-a-falk-8295_benevolent_after-the-second-world-war-facilitating_1555906.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db9/richard-a-falk-8295_benevolent_after-the-second-world-war-facilitating_1555906.jpg) > “After the Second World War, facilitating the establishment of the UN and aiding the reconstruction of Europe, the United States was widely viewed, at least in the West, as a benevolent hegemon. In the non-West, the US was often perceived as a supporter of the colonial powers in their struggle to maintain control over their colonial possessions, and was viewed far more critically, especially by emerging elites that were more inclined to socialist development paradigms than to the capitalist ethos favoured by Washington.” [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes divergent global perceptions of US post‑war power: benevolent in the West, colonial‑supporting in the non‑West, especially among socialist‑leaning elites. **In simple terms:** US seen as helper in West, oppressor elsewhere. Key Takeaway Recognize how power is viewed differently worldwide. Themes geopolitics historical memory colonialism ideological conflict soft power Mood analytical critical thought‑provoking Type historical political educational When to use this quote - policy analysis - diplomatic negotiations - academic research - public discourse Key Concepts International relations post‑war reconstruction global governance Questions to Reflect On - How do differing narratives shape foreign policy? - What can bridge these perception gaps? A Different Perspective May simplify complex motivations of various actors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Elites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elites/) [Establishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establishment/) [Ethos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethos/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Paradigm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradigm/) [Possession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possession/) [Reconstruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reconstruction/) [Second world war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-world-war/) [Socialist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socialist/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War of the worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-of-the-worlds/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) ## Related quotes > [In Asia, the nation state still is extremely vital, and of course, then in Africa, a whole new pattern is emerging because the states…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/in-asia-the-nation-state-still-is-extremely-vital-and-of-course-then/) [Henry A. 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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-battle/i-bring-my-classical-training-some-of-it-but-not-all-of-it-and-also/) [Kathleen Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-battle/) ## More by Richard A. Falk > [There are degrees of incompatibility, and there are more factors relevant to upholding democracy and human rights than the operation of neoliberal markets. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/there-are-degrees-of-incompatibility-and-there-are-more-factors/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [Cumulatively, American society is sliding toward a new form of 'authoritarian democracy'. Elections continue, free speech is generally protected, institutions operate in accordance with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/cumulatively-american-society-is-sliding-toward-a-new-form-of/) [Richard A. 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Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [What both the state and the capitalist economy oppose is an understanding of what might be called "the true nature of things" (using the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/what-both-the-state-and-the-capitalist-economy-oppose-is-an/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [The fact that Universal Jurisdiction exists in relation to serious international crimes does convey two important aspects of the global reality: first, that such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/the-fact-that-universal-jurisdiction-exists-in-relation-to-serious/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [The weaknesses and biases of the international mechanisms of accountability make it seem desirable to extend the domain of accountability by empowering domestic courts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/the-weaknesses-and-biases-of-the-international-mechanisms-of/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [As matters now stand, the veto seems inappropriate, given the absence of any deep ideological split between major states, and definitely constrains the war-prevention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/as-matters-now-stand-the-veto-seems-inappropriate-given-the-absence/) [Richard A. 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Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [Looking more deeply at the emergence of ISIS or the chaos that exists in Syria, Yemen and Libya would clearly raise crucial doubts about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/looking-more-deeply-at-the-emergence-of-isis-or-the-chaos-that-exists/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) [Explore all 82 Richard A. Falk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) ## More Benevolent quotes > [“But benevolent patriarchy is still patriarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/but-benevolent-patriarchy-is-still-patriarchy/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Intelligent Design opens the whole possibility of us being created in the image of a benevolent God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-dembski/intelligent-design-opens-the-whole-possibility-of-us-being-created-in/) [William A. 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You can't have both free will and a benevolent higher power who protects you from yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/you-can-t-have-it-both-ways-you-can-t-have-both-free-will-and-a/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [A universal peace, it is to be feared, is in the catalogue of events, which will never exist but in the imaginations of visionary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/a-universal-peace-it-is-to-be-feared-is-in-the-catalogue-of-events/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [I worship nothing. Not a good lie nor a dark one. If nature is proof of God's amazing creation then I have truly seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-numan/i-worship-nothing-not-a-good-lie-nor-a-dark-one-if-nature-is-proof-of/) [Gary Numan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-numan/) > [What am I writing for anyway? Is it like dreaming? Is it a benevolent process? 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-wolf/it-s-okay-buddy-i-shade-my-eyes-and-look-up-at-the-sky-luckily-for/) [Sara Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-wolf/) > [Nature is not benevolent; Nature is just, gives pound for pound, measure for measure, makes no exceptions, never tempers her decrees with mercy, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/nature-is-not-benevolent-nature-is-just-gives-pound-for-pound-measure/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [“My creed on the subject of slavery is short. Slavery per se is not sin. It is a social condition ordained from the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-morse/my-creed-on-the-subject-of-slavery-is-short-slavery-per-se-is-not-sin/) [Samuel Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-morse/) > [The charming aspect of Christmas is the fact that it expresses good will in a cheerful, happy, benevolent, non-sacrificial way. One says: “Merry Christmas”-not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-charming-aspect-of-christmas-is-the-fact-that-it-expresses-good/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [... so large a portion of those who hold much capital, instead of using their various advantages for the greatest good of those around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-beecher/so-large-a-portion-of-those-who-hold-much-capital-instead-of-using/) [Catharine Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-beecher/) Browse all 289 Benevolent quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After the Second World War, facilitating the establishment of the UN and aiding the reconstruction of Europe, the United States was widely viewed, at least in the West, as a benevolent hegemon. 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