The Hegemonic Order in the 21st Century

S Bielen

doi:10.18611/2221-3279-2017-8-4-20-29

Abstract

The concept of the hegemonic order in international relations is, on the one hand, related to the state-centric understanding of the international system, and on the other hand, to the challenging of the thesis of its polyarchism. While historic hegemonies never had a monopoly on exclusivity, the U.S. has achieved a clear and significant advantage over other powers. This was due to numerous reasons. The multidimensionality of the U.S. power means that no one else is able to match the U.S.in military, economic, technological, political, or culturalcivilizational and ideological terms. The United States has become the only power that can effectively stabilize or destabilize the existing global order. The biggest source of current concern is, on the one hand, a contestation of U.S. hegemony in the world, and, on the other, its actual decline.

Highlights

The concept of the hegemonic order in international relations is, on the one hand, related to the state-centric understanding of the international system, and on the other hand, to the challenging of the thesis of its polyarchism
Despite hegemony in international relations, the phenomenon of coordination undertaken by powers does not disappear, its consequence being superordination, or primacy of the biggest, and subordination, or subjection of the rest
The United States has practised all the forms of domination in its history – it was imperialist when it made territorial conquests in the 19th century, exercised leadership towards Europe after World War II through the Marshall Plan and its support of the North Atlantic Treaty, and after the end of the “Cold War”, it became the only hegemonic power able to rise to the challenge of taking on responsibility for the maintenance of the global order

Summary

Introduction

The concept of the hegemonic order in international relations is, on the one hand, related to the state-centric understanding of the international system, and on the other hand, to the challenging of the thesis of its polyarchism. The United States has practised all the forms of domination in its history – it was imperialist when it made territorial conquests in the 19th century, exercised leadership towards Europe after World War II through the Marshall Plan and its support of the North Atlantic Treaty, and after the end of the “Cold War”, it became the only hegemonic power able to rise to the challenge of taking on responsibility for the maintenance of the global order.

Results

Conclusion