Empires have existed during most of our known history and were dominant factors in shaping regional or world orders in their respective times. Have we know entered a period of history where empires have ceased to exist and the international system is exclusively composed of – formally independent and equal – nation-states? The concept of ‘empire’ has recently resurfaced after the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001 and the following campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq with several scholars claiming that the USA pursues an empire with its unilateralist stance towards other political entities and the preemptive use of its far superior military forces.
The following work tries on the one hand to illuminate the concept of empire in general and on the other hand to apply it to the United States of America in order to be able to answer the question on which this paper is based. In the first chapter, it will be tried to identify the distinct characteristics of an empire and to explain why their external behavior is fundamentally different from other political entities called states. Thereafter a limited selection of historical empires will be presented in order to demonstrate how different empires have been in the course of history. Subsequently the four different types of empires analysed shall be contrasted and compared with the contemporary United States of America. In the third chapter the behavior of the United States since the end of bipolarity is assessed mostly in terms of foreign policy and the use of its military capabilities. The focus shall be laid on the period after the demise of Communism, because during the Cold War aggressive actions of the United States were very often justified as being of a defensive nature and necessary to survive the contest for global supremacy with the Soviet Union. In the last chapter the concept of the so-called ‘Lockean Heartland’ is presented briefly and it is analysed why it is important in understanding the position of the United States in the contemporary system of international relations.
Then, why is it important if the United States really represents an empire? Because, if that is the case, it will have an enormous impact for the conduct of international relations in the 21st century, as an empire behaves in a fundamentally different way than a nation-state.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- I. What are the characteristics of an empire?
- II. Examples of historical empires:
- II.1. The Chinese Empire
- II.2. The Roman Empire
- II.3. The Venetian Empire
- II.4. The British Empire
- III. Behaviour of the USA since the end of bipolarity
- IV. The USA and the 'Lockean heartland'
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay aims to analyze the concept of an empire and investigate whether the United States of America currently represents an empire in international relations. The essay examines the characteristics of empires, compares historical examples with the contemporary USA, and explores the implications of this potential designation.
- Defining the characteristics of an empire
- Analyzing historical examples of empires
- Assessing the behavior of the USA since the end of the Cold War
- Exploring the concept of the 'Lockean heartland' and its relevance to the USA's position in international relations
- Evaluating the implications of the USA being considered an empire
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Chapter I: This chapter defines the concept of an empire and explores its unique features, distinguishing it from other political entities. It outlines the characteristics of an empire, emphasizing its hierarchical nature, control over external behavior, and reliance on superior military capabilities.
- Chapter II: This chapter presents four historical examples of empires (Chinese, Roman, Venetian, and British) to demonstrate the diverse characteristics and historical contexts of empires. It highlights the unique features of each empire and showcases the variation in their methods of rule and influence.
- Chapter III: This chapter analyzes the behavior of the United States in international relations since the end of the Cold War, focusing on its foreign policy and military capabilities. It examines how the USA's actions and policies have contributed to its potential designation as an empire.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The essay focuses on key concepts such as empire, hegemony, imperialism, sovereignty, international relations, military capabilities, foreign policy, and the 'Lockean heartland.' It explores how these terms relate to the United States and its role in shaping the global order.
- Quote paper
- MA Internationale Beziehungen Jan Fichtner (Author), 2004, Does the USA represent an empire in international relations?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/33970
