The Change Of US Behavior In International Institutions And An Analysis Of Its Motivations(2009-2020)

From 2009 to 2020,Obama and Trump were in power.During this period,American behavior in international institutions changed and adjusted to a certain extent.During Trump’s four years in office,the United States obviously tended to negative behavior in international institutions,such as questioning and opposing,voluntarily defecting,and withdrawing,showing typical characteristics of anti-globalization,which was in sharp contrast to the positive participating behavior of his predecessor Obama administration,such as actively establishing,joining,and complying with the rules.The characteristics and manifestations of these changes can be seen from three aspects:ways of participation,realization of interests and responsibility commitment.The United States in Obama era adhered to positive participation in many regions and fields and pragmatism,and selectively assumed international responsibilities in pursuit of "Global Leadership".However,during Trump’s period,the US frequently withdrew from international institutions,negatively participated both inside and outside institutions,brought the utilitarianism of businessmen’s mind and "America First" into the field of international institutions,and shirked alliance obligations and global governance responsibilities.Since World War II,it has become the consensus of the international community to participate in the international institutions under the leadership of the US in order to promote international cooperation and realize its own interests.However,why Trump wanted to break through stereotypes and impact the institutional system maintained by the US for more than 70 years,which is worth exploring.In this thesis,the level of analysis is used to set up three variables:international system,domestic political environment and leaders,so as to analyze the reasons for the change of US behavior in international institutions.First,compared with Obama’s period,Trump’s comparative advantage of American economic strength has further narrowed,which has increased his consideration of relative benefits and short-term interests in the international institutions.At the same time,under institutional non-neutrality,the decline of institutional status has made the United States face decentralization of power within the institutions,which has prompted it to transfer from inclusive multilateral institutions.Second,the Republican Party’s preference of passively distrusting the international institutions enhanced the initiative of decision makers to negatively participate,and the populism rising in the split political and economic environment also constituted Trump’s public opinion base.Thirdly,the transactional view of fairness,the consideration of external threats and the cognition of de-institutionalization laid the ideological foundation of Trump’s negative participation behavior,while the fickle and profit-seeking personality under narcissistic personality provided him with self-positioning and ways of doing things.Trump’s adjustment of behavior in international institutions has made the United States gain short-term benefits to a certain extent,but its negative impact is more systematic and far-reaching.It not only has an impact on America’s own long-term interests,domestic politics and alliance system,but also impacts the international order and global governance.After Biden took office,US behavior in international institutions tends to return to multilateralism and positive participation,but no matter how its behavior changes,it is fundamentally out of consideration of safeguarding American interests and power.The change of US behavior in international institutions can also provide lessons and inspiration for China.The current international situation is not optimistic,the economy is declining and the epidemic is spreading.China should seize the opportunity to display the image as a major country within the framework of the international institutions.