INTRODUCTION
Anyone who drives a car is well aware how important gasoline is to their day-to-day activities. Driving a car, which was once a luxury, is now a necessity for most people from sea to shining sea. Over the last decade, Americans have watched the prices of gasoline rise and have felt the burden of that increase on their budgets. Gasoline costs literally doubled and in some places tripled in price, making it more and more difficult for people to afford to drive the distances that their lives may require. This inability to drive can impact all sorts of areas in the American paradigm. Firstly, people are not buying as much gas, they are not traveling as far, and they certainly aren’t taking vacations, which can cause financial issues for locations that are dependent on tourism and travel. Most Americans perceive the growing costs to be attributed to either the Wars in the Middle East and the impending diminishing of resources, like oil, that environmentalists warn the public to be inevitable. However, the issues concerning oil and its needed products, like gasoline, is not simply a problem of the 21st century, but has been brewing for much longer. Some Americans recall when the oil, and therefore gasoline, was available in such short supply that it required a mass rationing. The 1973 petroleum, or gas, crisis caused Americans to sit in their cars in long lines on certain days of the week, which were assigned based on randomness of license plate numbers, and wait to receive what gas they were allowed to purchase. This burdensome means of acquiring gasoline disrupted commuters from arriving on time at their jobs, limited American pleasure travel, like vacations, and created a frustrated and inconvenienced America. The roots of this famous American shortage ran far deeper and have been traced back to ancient feuds taking place in the Middle East, which has led to many myths concerning the event, and changed American policies aimed at import and export with foreign lands, encourage traffic laws, and brought some of the earliest environmental issues that we still struggle with today.
What is Petroleum? Petroleum is a fossil fuel, like coal and natural gas. Throughout the ages Petroleum was seen escaping in abundance in places like China and Romania where it has been employed not just as fuel, but other applications including medicine. While the first official oil well was drilled in the mid 1800s its origins can stem back 90 to 150 million years ago. Petroleum results when these ancient organism, zooplankton and algae, that was deposited and remained on the ocean floor. At depths of more than 15,000 feet these particles decompose and under high heat and extreme pressures become the petroleum that we are dependent upon today (Frumkin, Hess, and Vindigni 5-6). When the first oil was discovered as a source of energy, the people could never have imagined how much it would aid in the industrialization of the United States. The much more modest American population could never have imagined a time when there would not be enough oil to meet the American or world demand. Of course they also did not know that the acquisition, processing, and use of petroleum products could and would have negative effects on the environment or pose a potential health risk to human beings.
Petroleum has become the predominant source of heating, fuel for transportation, manufacturing, and agriculture. It is no secret that the relationship between many Middle Eastern countries is not and has seldom been on positive terms with Israel. This feudal behavior between the Arabic and Muslim cultures have never seen eye-to-eye with the Jewish people populating Israel. These two powers are odds over ancient religious, political, and social differences. Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries, which included Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, announced that they would be reducing their oil production by 5%, a few days later, they followed that announcement with an edict stating that they would no longer sell any oil to the United States as long as they continued to politically support Israel., they also required that Israel relinquish Gaza, Jerusalem, and the West Bank (Ross 1). It was and is not difficult for Americans to believe that this is the event that triggered the fuel crisis of 1973. However, modern research says that is, simply, not true. This modern myth belies the actual cause for the issues that American faced. Modern experts feel that the American government of the era is truly to blame (Taylor, Jerry and Van Doren 1).
DISCUSSION
They discuss that the embargo had less to do with the ultimate shortage than the actions of President Richard Nixon. In 1971, Nixon enacted a policy that disallowed commercial gas stations from allowing the “full cost of imported crude oil to consumers at the pump” (Taylor, and Van Doren 1). However, small oil companies were exempt. Due to this action 1000s of gas station had closed for good. In response, the United States established the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act, which ultimately has been deemed to have made matters worse. It required equality in the access and distribution to gasoline rations, as well as, allowing for portions to be held for shortages in each state. It was this action that ultimately damaged the system and resulted in those historically long gasoline lines experienced by Americans in 1973. In fact, modern scholars offer that the embargo actually had almost no effect on America at all.
They explain that while the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries could refuse to do business with the United States, but could not prevent other countries that imported oil from selling to America. This is exactly what happened. America never stopped receiving Middle Easter oil; they just acquired it through European countries, like Britain (Taylor and Van Doren 1).
Of course for many Americans, it did not really matter what and who was the cause and who could be blamed, they only grew more and more frustrated with the gasoline rationing. Americans, again, were given specific days that they could get gasoline. Men and women, lined up, sometimes at sunrise, and would wait for hours for the opportunity to get gasoline, much of which is inevitable wasted in the long, slow-moving lines. As the shortage continued it came to a point where the amount of gas that each American could purchase was limited. For many workers that commuted long distances for their job became unable to purchase enough to make the journey. Eventually, many stations simply ran out of gas and, certainly could not keep up with the demand. They began to close.
ISSUES
In many ways, given the modern knowledge, it would appear that the United States government may have been fearful and overreacted with some of the actions taken seemed hasty and were less beneficial than the embargo would ever have been on its own. The President who followed him took Middle Eastern threats of embargos and the like, would be perceived as an intentional goal of undermining the American well-being and economy, however, the reality is that the Middle Eastern embargo appears to have been far less devastating that we have been taught. In fact, it may have encouraged the American political response, but they are not responsible if that response was more detrimental than the cause (Taylor and Van Doren 1).
Again, Americans saw the actions of the oil embargo as the true culprit that had forced them to pay outrageous gas prices and obtain it in limited quantities. The government found themselves in the midst of a serious problem. The Arab oil countries, regardless of their true place as the cause, did represent a situation that America did not want to be in. America was completely dependent on the oil that came from foreign countries. If these countries began making ultimatums and valid threats, then America would always be an easy target for those who wished to do the same. This would lead to great deal of policy change that would, in effect, prevent that from happening again in the future. There is a fear that it was too easy for the Middle East to effect world politics and economic stability. America has been, throughout its short history, as been looked to as a formidable world power. One author of the era, Daniel Yergin, a writer for the Wall Street Journal, explained that it caused instability in the country at, both the domestic and international levels and that it “shook the country's confidence” (Myre 1). There were a number of impacts that the oil embargo and American gas prices that have lasting effects on the policies, relations, and dependency upon foreign Middle Eastern sources.
Saudi Arabia and the Embargo: Saudi Arabia historically is indentified as one of the strongest proponents of the 1973 embargo. The American and world view of Saudi Arabia at the time reflected an image of wealthy Saudi “sheiks” that were actively plotting against the United States. However, as the years passed, the long-standing problems between the two nations had changed. Today Saudi Arabia is one of the strongest supporters of the United States. They have and continue to work to pump enough oil to provide for the world’s needs and make up for the limited production in other countries, like Iran and Iraq (Myre 1).
Iran and the Embargo: In reverse of the relationship seen in Saudi Arabia. At the time of the embargo, Iran had remained allies with the United States. However, that all changed with the overthrowing of the reining “Shah” in 1974, and throughout the decades since, Iran has been an enemy of the United States and the United States has reduced the oil received from Iran by 50% (Myer 1).
Remaking of the Global Energy Industry: The immense oil and gasoline prices of the 1970s changed the sources of global energy resources. The times encouraged oil extraction from places not previously considered, like Alaska, Gulf of Mexico and in parts of Canada. This drilling has increased the production of oil by 50%; however, that increased drilling is proving to be taxing on the environment. Today other means of power and energy is being reconsidered. Many like wind and solar power are encouraged as an alternative to oil based fuels (Myre 1).
American, No Longer so Dependent on Just the Middle East: As mentioned, previously, American no longer wanted to be at such a disadvantage to another nation ever again. The threat of being “cut off” would be taken as a threat to the well being of the United States. In fact, in the President’s State of the Union Address, in 1980, “an attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America. Such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force." (Myre 1). This set up the relationships with the Middle East that is still reflected today.
Inspired New U.S. Fuel Economy Standards: In 1975 this new policy would require automobile manufacturers raise the mileage efficiency from 13.5 miles per gallon to, the doubly efficient, 27 miles per gallon. This would make it possible for people to travel further without the need to refuel. Vehicular gas efficiency is still relevant issue today. In 2013 these standards were, again, doubled and that efficiency is expected to reach, at least, 54 miles per gallon by the year 2025 (Myre 1).
Green Response: perhaps surprising to some and no so much to others, the gas shortage spawned some of the earliest environmental perspective that we still see today, as new sources of petroleum have been harvested and the demand for power only increases as people produce more offspring and live longer. These early environmentalist realized that these resources are not unlimited and the means of extracting, processing, and presenting the fossil fuel alone was bad for the environment and could lead to many negative environmental side effects (Ross 1).
Establishment of the 55 mile Speed Limit: It is true that it was in response to the petroleum shortage and rationing that speed limits be monitored. The faster that people drive the more fuel they consume; limiting that speed will result in gas saved (The University of California, Berkeley 1).
However, the most significant side effect of the gasoline crisis of the 1970s can be seen in the unending pattern of warfare that rages via many faction in the Middle East, the Israeli people remain in conflict with the Middle Eastern countries, and the United States has been involved on a military level in the Middle East and surrounding regions and countries (Jones 209). First Desert Storm in the 1990s and then the War in Afghanistan, all of which was made all the worse, when on September 11 2001 in New York City, when a terrorist attacks on multiple American locations proved to have Middle Eastern origins (Taylor and Van Doren 1). In the same vein, relations among the Middle Eastern lands, particularly the relations between Israel and its Muslim and Christian neighbors. While Israel had made peace after the 1970s with both Jordan and Egypt, that did not settle all of the issues in other Middle Eastern lands. The relations have not improved between Israel and the Palestinians, Syrians, and Lebanon. Today, Israel considers its greatest enemy and threat is Iran. They believe that the country is presently developing nuclear weapons intended for use against Israel in the future; of course, Iran, denies such allegations (Myre 1).
SOLUTIONS
Fortunately, the future of the petroleum issue has the potential to be eliminated all together. Alternatives to current fossil fuels needed, including oil, may become more feasible and available as we move further into the 21st century. This would serve a two-fold purpose. The first is that the less necessary oil becomes the less dependent the United States will be on foreign providers, in the Middle East and in other oil rich locations around the globe. Secondly, if greener alternatives to energy are implemented as a new standard, then the need for oil will be eliminated. Homes may be heated through solar energy captured and wind turbines collect electricity to power people’s homes, and electric and alternative fuel vehicles will change the way we drive, and would significantly and drastically affect the American relationship with much needed petroleum products. This serves to diminish the oil issues and relegate them to the past, as well as, encourage, a more environmentally friendly alternative to the oil that provides gasoline that is so prized in the United States (Ross 1). That said, America would not have to be as concerned with pollution, health risks, and the embracing of such alternative may make travel and commuting all the more affordable and reasonable. That said, the Petroleum crisis enraged Americans and diminished the confidence as a world power. While, the prices of petroleum products have risen and fallen throughout the last decade, there has never been another gasoline crisis or rationing as occurred in the 1970s; and through the diminishing of oil dependency and necessity we can guarantee that it never happens again.
CONCLUSION
The United States managed of survive and thrive after the years following the petroleum crisis of 1973. The political lessons learned changed the nature of the relationships with foreign countries and import. It inspired the implementations of 55 mile per hour speed limit and greater fuel efficiency in modern vehicles. It taught Americans the important lesson of not being beholden to a foreign body. Unfortunately, modern scholars have noticed the some of the elements of the crisis are based more on myth than facts. The embargo did have an impact, however it was poor governmental steps, intended to be beneficial, that truly and directly led to the shortage and rationing that makes the 1973 petroleum crisis part of America’s paradigm. Regardless, of the official origin and the immediate impacts and side effects, had the crisis not happened then America would still be entirely dependent upon Middle Eastern oil and the early environmental acknowledgments on the limited nature and dangers of fossil fuels in general would never have been politically and publically considered. While the crisis is remarked as a “rough patch” in modern history, it is also represents a lesson learned
WORK CITED
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Jones, Toby Craig. "America, Oil, and War in the Middle East." American Journal of History. 99.1 (2012): 208-218. Print.
Myre, Greg. "The 1973 Arab Oil Embargo: The Old Rules No Longer Apply." National Public Radio. N.p., 17 Oct 2013. Web. 22 Dec 2014. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/10/15/234771573/the-1973-arab-oil-embargo-the-old-rules-no-longer-apply>.
Taylor, Jerry, and Peter Van Doren. "Time to Lay the 1973 Oil Embargo to Rest." CATO Institute. (2003): 1. Web. 22 Dec. 2014. <http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/time-lay-1973-oil-embargo-rest>.
Ross, Michael L.. "How the 1973 Oil Embargo Saved the Planet." Foreign Affairs. Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct 2014. Web. 22 Dec 2014. <http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/140173/michael-l-ross/how-the-1973-oil-embargo-saved-the-planet>.
The University of California, Berkeley, . "Slaying the Dragon of Debt: 1973 Oil Crisis Timeline." Bancroft Library. The University of California Berkeley, 7 March 2011. Web. 22 Dec 2014. <http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ROHO/projects/debt/oilcrisis.html>.
