Do nation-states with greater power have a greater responsibility to act ethically?
(henceforth known as the “Spiderman Principle”) 2. Is any act that a nation makes in its own self-interest ever moral? I’ll post my answer first: 1. Do nation-states with greater power have a greater responsibility to act ethically? Yes. It’s not enough for the United States to be a legitimately aggrieved party in any dispute; with the balance of power overwhelmingly in our favor on so many fronts, we have a much higher standard to live up to. But here’s the thing: by any rational historical standard, we usually DO live up to this calling. A common problem with conservative ideology is the expectation that the US bears no additional responsibility as a result of our success. This concept is often childish and unrealistic. In contrast, a common problem with liberal ideology is the idea that the US is eternally guilty by virtue of our success. This guilt complex undermines the ability of modern societies to act with ruthless confidence against legitimate threats. Overall, I’ll gladly tak
