145c-w10hegemony.pptx

8/10/2019 145C-W10Hegemony.pptx

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The US remains the sole superpower in the post Cold Warworld.

Stance on failed states, democracy, the peace process,

climate change, etc. has international ramificationsDebates over US decline and its ramifications forinternational politics focuses on several questions:

What role does US hegemony play in international

politics?How should the US maintain hegemony?Should the US seek to maintain hegemony?


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Joffe 2009Fears about US decline are nothing new

Pundits and scholars habitually raise concerns about the decline of UShegemony

1950s-1970s: Soviet Union 1980s: Japan Today: EU/China

Even in the midst of a major current crisis, forecasting decline ignores theunmatched nature of US influence/strength on all real indicators of power

(cultural, economic, military, diplomatic)Patterns of glee and gloom obscure this reality US military and higher educational system places it in a league of its own China typically cited as the most likely threat to hegemony

But China does not threaten US supremacy


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Ferguson 2004US hegemony is a fancy term for empire.

Although the US hates the term the US is an informal empire World benefits from a liberal empire

Protect rule of law, reduce corruption, maintain economicmarkets, etc.).

The US is the only state which can play this roleAccepting the mantle of empire has both materialist andaltruistic components.

Materialist: deposing despots and containing epidemics makesthe US safer.Altruism: humanitarian intervention is sometimes necessaryand the US is often the only state with the resources to act


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Bacevich 2008US interventionism often justified on the basis of a supposedly existential threat fromfundamentalist Islam.

Open- ended war on terror motivated by an attempt to consolidate power within theexecutive branch and the military-industrial complex.

US falsely believes that its strength makes it indispensable and that hegemony gives it theright to impose beliefs and values on other nations.

Focusing on the periphery is damaging for US foreign and domestic policy. Belief in invincibility led the US to ignore internal threats (i.e. 9/11).

Resorting to force in the name of freedom undermines US values. And boosts and imperial presidency that undermines Constitution

The belief that the US is beyond challenge fosters a belief amongst the American publicthat they deserve more than they are willing to sacrifice

Led the US into massive debt and increased dependency on foreign goods (and oil)Led Americans to believe that their values are universal (and the are not).


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Ferguson 2004Yes; the world needs US leadership.

But the US is currently only effective in defeating enemies, it isnot able to rebuild states.

The US must accept this imperial mantle and fix itsinternal politics in order to be effective Economic deficit: relies far too much on foreign

capital; massive debt is problematic.

Manpower deficit: small military force /should workwith the EU/UN to coordinate peacekeeping forces. Attention deficit: American public not willing to stay

the course. The first two can be fixed more easily than the third.


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Bacevich 2008No.Iraq war is an example of the worst excesses in this global unendingwar against terror

But could also be the last straw which forces a fundamental rethink of USforeign policy.Maintaining the trappings of empire in the name of freedomdamages US interests.

Makes US less secure globally. And undermines US democracy. Debt is unsustainable and threatens to damage the nation.Politicians must make it clear to the public that power has its limits.

Bringing our goals in sync with the rest of the world will boost US strength. Abolishing nuclear weapons Take a leadership role in fighting climate change Stop preaching to others about democracy.


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Kagan 2007Yes; the world needs US leadership

Regional competition could destabilize the system without a strong US influenceEnsures liberalism retains its international viability in fight against authoritarianism

Creating an alliance of democracies critical for signaling international commitment to

democracyUS does not need to blindly push democracy, but the concept is important

Joffe 2009No alternative; The US is the indispensible nation

The default power does what others cannot or will not do US flexibility can stave off decline to ensure it remains indispensible

US advantages coupled with its warrior culture critical for ensuring global public goods. Warrior culture: military a function of prestige and social advancement

Liberal empires key for global public goodsAutocratic states do not concern themselves with global goods

Excludes China and Russia as alternativesEurope lacks the warrior culture mentality to take up this mantle


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Zakaria 2008Polls suggest that Americans are feeling lessoptimistic about their future.

The inevitable rise of China The fall of the Roman empire and the end of theBritish empire reinforce this feeling of decline

But the US is not the British empire; the Britishempire had weaknesses the US does not have.

The US has greater economic strength; problems arepolitical.The UK had political strength but was weakeconomically.


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Zakaria 2008Overextension in Iraq and Afghanistan will not bankrupt thecountry.

The US is not in decline US demographic and educational flexibility will preserve its role asglobal leader far into the future.

US is not facing the same demographic crunches as Europe and Asia.Emphasis on how to think rather than rote memorization will boostefficiency and innovation.

What we are witnessing is not the decline of the US but the rise of

the rest The world the US created (predicated on liberal economic norms) isimproving the lives of many around the world.

This rise of the rest does NOT threaten the US. Welcoming the rise of the rest allows the US to project influence

But US domestic politics is making this difficult


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Zakaria 2008The world benefits from US leadership

But it can only be undermined from withinDomestic political trends favoring isolationism threatenUS hegemonyExamples:

Trade restrictions against ChinaLimits on immigration and restricting student visas.US provincialism (lack of language study etc.)

Puts the US at a strategic disadvantage vis--vis the rest of theworld

Attempting to undermine this rise would result innationalism.

Undermines US postwar leadership.


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Note: New link for Fukuyamawww.wesjones.com/eoh.htm

Due between 11:30 and 2:30pm on 5December 2011Location listed on TritonLink

145c-w10hegemony.pptx

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