The U.S. as "Superpower". Good or Bad for International Stability?

Abstract or Introduction

United States (US) foreign policy has often centred on preserving the ‘American way of life’, yet since the fall of the Soviet Union it developed into that of being the undisputed leader of the world. The ‘balance of power’ that was afforded both before and during the Cold War is no longer. This essay will argue that the US does more harm than good in its efforts to be a ‘great’ superpower especially in this age of a one-sided ‘balance of power’. In other words, having only one real ‘superpower’ is bad for international stability.

The author will begin by defining what constitutes a ‘superpower’. He will then examine the theory of international relations with regards to the geometry of power, looking at ‘unipolarity’, ‘bipolarity’ and ‘multipolarity’. The author will subsequently take a brief look at the Cold War era, comparing it to the unipolar world that we presently have. The author will finish by examining the role that the United States plays in international affairs.