GOV 120 Lecture Notes - Lecture 27: Neoconservatism, Hard Power, Unilateralism
Document Summary
Goal is to use unilateral means to maintain and establish american hegemony over all rivals. Primary goal is also to avoid the emergence of a strong rival to american power. Security is achieved unilaterally through preponderant american power. Very suspicious of multilateral means and international organizations prefers unilateralism. Relies on us possessing power that is much greater than its adversaries. Puts a premium on military hard power over other forms of soft power. Can be marked by emphasis from a worldview that is primarily realist (material) or idealist (values) Critique: can lead to overreach and isolation. Politically started on the far left, moved to moderate during the social turmoil of the 1960s; moved right during the carter and reagan administrations. Began as anti-capitalist and anti-liberal, and had strong critiques of fdr. Pushed rightward through the 1960s, did not agree with cultural relativism, blaming the us, attacking universities by student radicals, and opposed affirmative action.
