Political and economic brinkmanship

Abstract

ABSTRACT According to liberal arguments for American hegemony a dangerous world needs American power. How does the liberal view hold up against the reality test of how political aims are interpreted and implemented by security professionals? I argue that many security operations are embedded in strategies of political brinkmanship. The second part explores whether American economic policies too can be viewed as brinkmanship. This concerns the ramifications of ‘free market’ policies for the United States at a time when exports become imports, the trade deficit deepens, income inequality widens and external deficits rise to unsustainable levels. In closing I reflect on the rationality of political and economic brinkmanship.