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.
Table of Contents
Introduction
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’
V. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this essay is to evaluate whether the contemporary United States of America functions as an empire within the international system. The study analyzes the historical definition of empires, contrasts various historical models with modern American foreign policy, and investigates how U.S. power dynamics—ranging from military supremacy to economic integration—align with imperial behavior in the post-Cold War era.
- The theoretical characteristics of historical empires versus modern nation-states.
- A comparative analysis of the Chinese, Roman, Venetian, and British imperial models.
- The evolution of U.S. foreign policy, specifically the shift toward unilateralism and preemptive warfare.
- The concept of "Full Spectrum Dominance" and the role of military high-tech capabilities.
- The role of economic institutional power ("sticky power") and the "Lockean heartland" in sustaining global influence.
Excerpt from the Book
III. Behaviour of the USA since the end of bipolarity
As mentioned above, this essay shall focus on the behaviour of the United States after the end of the Cold War and the following demise of Communism as the looming menace for the USA and the West in general. However, it should be mentioned that the USA showed potentially imperialistic behaviour long before, such as in the proclamation of the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, which declared that North and South America were an exclusive sphere of interest of the USA, and in the annexations of Hawaii, Guam and Puerto Rico in 1898 or in the rule over the Philippines which started the same year and lasted nearly four decades. During the Cold War the various overt and covert military operations of the USA in Central America and the Vietnam War were often labelled as being imperialistic.
The Gulf War of 1991 was the first major conflict since the end of the Cold War and acted as a showcase that the USA – with regard to military affairs – had definitely become the world’s sole superpower. Still the US formed a coalition of many countries and strived towards a UN mandate for the operation. The reason for attacking a longtime ally was probably that Saddam Hussein dared an attempt to dominate a region which was seen as vital to the USA. Operation ‘Desert Storm’ showed that the US was willing to counter any actions that could change a regional order in an undesired way.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: The introduction outlines the research question regarding the imperial status of the U.S. and provides a roadmap for the subsequent historical and political analysis.
I. What are the characteristics of an empire?: This chapter establishes the theoretical framework by defining the core features of an empire, such as the monopoly on military force and the subjugation of foreign political entities.
II. Examples of historical empires:: This chapter provides a historical baseline by examining the structural and strategic differences between the Chinese, Roman, Venetian, and British Empires.
III. Behaviour of the USA since the end of bipolarity: This chapter analyzes how U.S. foreign policy evolved after the Cold War, focusing on military dominance, the Bush Doctrine, and the assertion of unilateral power.
IV. The USA and the ‘Lockean heartland’: This chapter explores the ideological and economic embedding of the U.S. within the "Lockean heartland," a network of nations that prioritize civil society and liberal capitalist interests.
V. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the findings, asserting that the U.S. has transitioned from a hegemon to a political entity that constitutes an empire in contemporary international relations.
Keywords
United States, Empire, Imperialism, International Relations, Foreign Policy, Unilateralism, Bipolarity, Military Dominance, Full Spectrum Dominance, Lockean Heartland, Soft Power, Sticky Power, Hegemony, Nation-state, Globalization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research paper?
The paper examines whether the United States of America functions as an empire in the context of contemporary international relations.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The themes include the historical definition of empires, comparative analysis of past imperial models, U.S. military strategy, and the economic mechanisms of American global influence.
What is the primary research question?
The primary question is whether the behavior of the U.S. since the end of the Cold War and the 9/11 attacks signifies a shift from a traditional nation-state to an empire.
Which methodology is applied?
The author uses a qualitative, analytical approach, contrasting theoretical definitions of historical empires with the empirical evidence of recent U.S. military and diplomatic actions.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers historical case studies (Rome, China, Venice, Britain), the impact of the end of bipolarity on U.S. policy, and the strategic importance of the "Lockean heartland" and economic integration.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Empire, Imperialism, Unilateralism, Full Spectrum Dominance, and Sticky Power.
How does the "Bush Doctrine" influence the author's argument?
The author uses the "Bush Doctrine" as primary evidence for the U.S. claiming a status above other political entities, characterizing it as a departure from typical nation-state behavior toward imperial rule.
Why does the author differentiate between "sharp power" and "sticky power"?
The author distinguishes these to show that American dominance relies not only on overt military force ("sharp power") but also on the subtle attraction of economic and cultural systems ("sticky power") that trap other nations in U.S. influence.
- Arbeit zitieren
- MA Internationale Beziehungen Jan Fichtner (Autor:in), 2004, Does the USA represent an empire in international relations?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/33970
