Western alliance

The West, in economic terms, includes the United States, the industrialized nations of Europe, modern Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Although Japan is in the Far East, it is in the Western Christendom's economic sphere of influence, having sought to modernize itself since the Meiji Restoration before World War I. After World War II, the United States gave Japan additional assistance in modernizing its business practices; see W. Edwards Deming. Also, while Australia and New Zealand are in the South Pacific, they are considered westernized nations.

Politically, the West consists of the United States, its allies and its friends.

• the Anglo-American Alliance
• America and Israel
• America and South Korea

While South Korea (like Japan) is strictly speaking a Far Eastern nation, it is strongly allied with the United States, both politically and economically. Using Western educational methods, its students now lead the world in mathematics achievement.

In the Cold War (1947-91), the West opposed the Soviet Union and its satellites, as well as Communist China. The main military alliance in the West was--and still is--NATO, formed in 1949.

Further reading

• Gress, David. From Plato to NATO: The Idea of the West and Its Opponents (1996) excerpt and text search
• Rosenberg, Nathan, and L.E. Birdzell Jr. How The West Grew Rich: The Economic Transformation of the Industrial World (1987) excerpt and text search