POLI SCI 240 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Manifest Destiny, Hegemony
27 Mar 2018
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Document Summary
The mightiest states attempt to establish hegemony in their region of the world while making sure that no rival great power dominates another region. Survival is a state"s most important goal. The ultimate goal of every great power is to maximize its share of world power and eventually dominate the system. International system has three defining characteristics: the main actors are states that operate in anarchy, all great powers have some offensive military capability, no state can know the intentions of other states with certainty, especially their future intentions. The only security issue the u. s. should be concerned about is china because the threat to hegemony. Liberal within ir means each state having their own freedom to do their own thing and international collaboration/cooperation to achieve gains. The ultimate aim is to be the hegemon-- that is, the only great power in the system. U. s. is a regional hegemon, but it is not a global one.
