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Will American Hegemony Produce a Better World for Everyone?. Defining the Problem. "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." . Defining the Problem. American Empire? Reluctant Empire? New American Empire? Isolationist America? Democracy Imposed? European Hegemony?
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Defining the Problem • "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Defining the Problem • American Empire? • Reluctant Empire? • New American Empire? • Isolationist America? • Democracy Imposed? • European Hegemony? • Multipolar World Leadership?
Aristotle Said: “Those who have the command of the arms in a country are masters of the state, and have it in their power to make what revolutions they please.”
Defining the Problem Difficulty of Leading the World Always in the Spotlight Always under microscope Always a target Everyone is always critical
Post 9/11 What would you have done???
The World Against the USA • Countries/People resent power and always look to dethrone the hegemon • The Real Roots of Arab Anti-Americanism • Iraq & Middle East • Is America growing tired of being so generous? • Empire Fatigue
Revisiting Polarity Theory • Focuses on Relationship Between Polarity and the Probability of War. • Polarity: Number of Great Powers in the State System • Multipolar: Usually 3-5. • Bipolar: Two Great Powers • Hegemonic: A Single Great Power. • The Fewer the Number of Great Powers, the More Stable is the International State System and Vice Versa.
How do you Maintain Power? • Should you?
Supremacy By StealthBy Robert Kaplan, Atlantic Monthly • Rule 1: Produce more Joppolos • Rule 2: Stay on the Move • Rule 3: Emulate 2nd Century Rome • Rule 4: Use Military to Promote Democracy • Rule 5: Be Light and Lethal • Rule 6: Bring Back the Old Rules • Rule 9; Fight on Every Front
The Big Question What are the alternatives???
Should we be supporting American hegemony for our own survival??