Hegemony refers to a term utilized by social scientists with the goal of describing leadership within a rivaling states system. The notion concerning American hegemony goes back to Benjamin Franklin’s era, although it is practically linked to the Second World War. After World War 2, the U.S. emerged as a dominant political, economic, and technological nation. During this time, the U.S. served as the solitary key combatant that never witnessed any severe damage to its infrastructure, demographic state, or housing stock. The U.S. managed to put an end to the war while employing significant naval order ever witnessed in world’s history. The U.S. also emerged as the postwar home to major international organizations comprising of the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Furthermore, since the country possessed the bomb, America was thus perceived in every perspective a hegemon.
During the 20th century, the Soviet Union served as the key worldwide rival to the U.S., even though the Soviet Union did not have the capacity to produce anything beyond half of the overall countrywide output of America. The nominal allies of the Soviet Union based in Eastern Europe served as restless occupied countries in line with most of its fundamental states. The client states based overseas served as the ideal partners in term of offering convenience, while worst situation became apparent based on the ways in which they drained the limited resources of the region. Even though the Soviet Union had the capability to resist the hegemony exercised by Americans, it was incapable of replacing it. Although it possessed the bomb as well as a remarkable program of space, it lacked anything else that would rival the U.S., thus leading the hegemony of the U.S. to become dominant.
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After the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, the hegemony of America was complete. The U.S. ranked topmost in the global system without any serious competitors regarding worldwide leadership. However, the unipolar moment of the U.S. did not last more than a decade, particularly because September 11, 2001, revealed the coming on a new threat form, which would have a significant impact toward sustainability of the world. Additionally, ensuring China’s rise as well as Russia’s re-emergence is threatening the unrestricted leadership by America. Presently, the internal politics apparent in the country have deadlocked while the government of the country’s role in serving as a worldwide policeman is shrinking considerably. During 21st century’s second decade, the hegemony of America is broadly considered as on a fatal decline.
Today, the notion of the U.S. serving as an empire is considered slippery mostly because countries that procure empires may not utilize the term. For instance, during the time of the Cold War, the territories that were considered as under Soviet Union control were considered “Soviet Empire,” even though no official source from the Soviet came near to utilizing the term “Empire” when describing itself. Irrespective of whether using the term while referring to the U.S. is right or not, it might be argued that the U.S. possessed the elements of an extra-territorial empire during the twentieth century
Moreover, there is a notable support that U.S. has at times acted to address its unique interests without laying any considerable emphasis on the interests of individuals based in the territories occupied or invaded. Nevertheless, America does not operate alone as other great powers also exist, thus an indication that the U.S. should not believe that it the only one having a special mission for acting in a morally manner globally. The American exceptionalism notion is associated with both negative and positive repercussions. For instance, America has tried to promote its unique liberty ideals while seeking happiness on one hand while at the same time considering itself as above other countries while pursuing her unique interests.
