The submerged state is a unique feature of American social policy. Most Americans do not know about the government programs they benefit from. These welfare programs may include but are not limited to federal student loans, tax breaks for mortgages, nutritional programs, or Medicare. Suzanne Mettler argues that the policies of the submerged state have affected American politics in two ways. Firstly, Mettler highlights that middlemen such as banks, health insurance companies, and universities have greatly benefited from the social policies of the submerged state. Secondly, she points out that these policies have obscured the publicity of the role of the state, as more of the American public is unaware of the programs they benefit from (Jillson & Robertson, pg. 516). The submerged state has expanded a great deal in the past twenty-five years and has greatly influenced the face of social politics in America.
Americans interact with the submerged state in a variety of ways. For example, public policies provide tax breaks to a family that is putting aside funds for a college education or for home mortgages. It is important to note that this applies to all citizens. Whether you belong to the top one percent or are on food stamps, you may take advantage of this. Another important facet of the submerged state that many Americans take advantage of is education. The vast majority of children or teenagers in the United States attend public schools at no cost, and a great deal of those who decide to further their education in college are recipients of federal student loans. Now, free public education only exists because of the taxes paid and the funding allocated to building and improving schools across the country. While most people do pay taxes, not everyone realizes the extent to which they likely benefit from such a program. The submerged state also encompasses nutritional programs, Medicare, and other social welfare programs. There are a large group of American citizens who may not take advantage of programs like food stamps for welfare as those in poverty are, but those same people are the ones who fail to realize that they also gain from other welfare programs of different forms. It is this feature of American exceptionalism, the lack of awareness in regard to the government programs you currently take advantage of, that makes the social culture of American politics so unique.
In a global sense, the world may be divided into two sectors. The advanced, more wealthy nations are considered to make up the "North," while the less developed nations are dubbed the "South." The North-South gap is the political and economic divide that exists between the two regions. The North is mostly made up of nations belonging to the first and second world, and the South generally consists of third-world countries. Being one of the more developed nations, the United States' foreign policy is very influential in world politics. Peter Trubowitz argues that Ameri...
