|
|
|
|
Beyond the "Lessons of Empire" |
|
| Abstract | Word Stems | Keywords | Association | Citation | Get this Document | Similar Titles |
|
STOP! You can now view the document associated with this citation by clicking on the "View Document as HTML" link below. |
|
Click here to view the document
|
Abstract:
|
How should we make sense of the geostrategic position occupied by the United States? Many view the United States as a unipolar power: a great power that lacks any peer competitors capable of directly challenging its position of preeminence. Others treat the United States as a hegemonic power that establishes and enforces broad rules of the game that govern relations among other states. Some describe the United States, in contrast, as an informal empire that shapes not only the interactions among other states but also their internal political organization. They argue that American policymakers cannot ignore the lessons and analogies of imperial history (Cohen, 2004: 56) and that an understanding of America as an evolving, if reluctant, modern empire is an important analytic tool with profound consequences that American leaders should understand (Simes, 2003: 93).
I agree that attention to the dynamics of past empires sheds light on contemporary American foreign-policy dilemmas (see, e.g., MacDonald, 2006; Nexon and Wright, 2007). But I think we should exercise caution about what lessons of empire we identify for the United States. Three considerations motivate my concerns. First, historical empires display tremendous variation in their political structures, forms of rule, and legitimating principles. Second, some empires also operated as preeminent powers in unipolar systems, hegemonic political communities, or both. But others operated as one great power among many or even as decidedly minor players in international politics (see Howe, 2002). Third, although analysts provide a sharp analytical distinction between hegemony and empire, the practices of hegemonic control almost invariably bleed into those of informal empire (Doyle, 1986: 38-45; Lake, 1996: 9).
I start with a critical analysis of the American Empire debate. I next put forth an ideal-typical model of empires and their dynamics. I conclude by reflecting on the degree of American informal empire. However we resolve this debate, it calls attention to the broader task of understanding the micropolitics of international hierarchy: how many of the strategic dilemmas of great powers involve the interplay between their asymmetric relations with other states and those states internal political dynamics. |
Most Common Document Word Stems:
empir (84), imperi (59), american (49), state (43), intern (35), power (34), polit (30), relat (30), unit (27), inform (25), control (18), hegemon (17), mani (16), peripheri (15), polici (15), 2006 (13), great (13), new (13), econom (12), core (12), lesson (12), |
Author's Keywords:
|
American Empire, Empire, American Grand Strategy, Hierarchy, International Relations Theory |
|
 | Convention | | All Academic Convention is the premier solution for your association's abstract management solutions needs. |  | Submission - Custom fields, multiple submission types, tracks, audio visual, multiple upload formats, automatic conversion to pdf. |  | Review - Peer Review, Bulk reviewer assignment, bulk emails, ranking, z-score statistics, and multiple worksheets! |  | Reports - Many standard and custom reports generated while you wait. Print programs with participant indexes, event grids, and more! |  | Scheduling - Flexible and convenient grid scheduling within rooms and buildings. Conflict checking and advanced filtering. |  | Communication - Bulk email tools to help your administrators send reminders and responses. Use form letters, a message center, and much more! |  | Management - Search tools, duplicate people management, editing tools, submission transfers, many tools to manage a variety of conference management headaches! | | Click here for more information. |
|
|
Association:
Name: American Political Science Association URL: http://www.apsanet.org
|
Citation:
|
MLA Citation:
| Nexon, Daniel. "Beyond the "Lessons of Empire"" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Hyatt Regency Chicago and the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, Chicago, IL, Aug 30, 2007 <Not Available>. 2011-06-08 <http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p210116_index.html> |
APA Citation:
| Nexon, D. H. , 2007-08-30 "Beyond the "Lessons of Empire"" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Hyatt Regency Chicago and the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, Chicago, IL Online <APPLICATION/PDF>. 2011-06-08 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p210116_index.html |
Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript Abstract: How should we make sense of the geostrategic position occupied by the United States? Many view the United States as a unipolar power: a great power that lacks any peer competitors capable of directly challenging its position of preeminence. Others treat the United States as a hegemonic power that establishes and enforces broad rules of the game that govern relations among other states. Some describe the United States, in contrast, as an informal empire that shapes not only the interactions among other states but also their internal political organization. They argue that American policymakers cannot ignore the lessons and analogies of imperial history (Cohen, 2004: 56) and that an understanding of America as an evolving, if reluctant, modern empire is an important analytic tool with profound consequences that American leaders should understand (Simes, 2003: 93).
I agree that attention to the dynamics of past empires sheds light on contemporary American foreign-policy dilemmas (see, e.g., MacDonald, 2006; Nexon and Wright, 2007). But I think we should exercise caution about what lessons of empire we identify for the United States. Three considerations motivate my concerns. First, historical empires display tremendous variation in their political structures, forms of rule, and legitimating principles. Second, some empires also operated as preeminent powers in unipolar systems, hegemonic political communities, or both. But others operated as one great power among many or even as decidedly minor players in international politics (see Howe, 2002). Third, although analysts provide a sharp analytical distinction between hegemony and empire, the practices of hegemonic control almost invariably bleed into those of informal empire (Doyle, 1986: 38-45; Lake, 1996: 9).
I start with a critical analysis of the American Empire debate. I next put forth an ideal-typical model of empires and their dynamics. I conclude by reflecting on the degree of American informal empire. However we resolve this debate, it calls attention to the broader task of understanding the micropolitics of international hierarchy: how many of the strategic dilemmas of great powers involve the interplay between their asymmetric relations with other states and those states internal political dynamics. |
Get this Document:
Find this citation or document at one or all of these locations below. The links below may have the citation or the entire document for free or you may purchase access to the document. Clicking on these links will change the site you're on and empty your shopping cart.
| Document Type: |
application/pdf |
| Page count: |
15 |
| Word count: |
4162 |
| Text sample: |
| âWhatâs this then? âRomanes Eunt Domusâ?â1 Daniel Nexon Department of Government and School of Foreign Service 652 ICC Department of Government Georgetown University Washington DC 20057 dhn2@georgetown.edu Paper presented at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association Chicago IL August 30-September 2. Please do not cite or quote without my permission. Comments welcome. 1 Quotation from Monty Pythonâs Life of Brian. How should we make sense of the geostrategic position occupied by the United States? Many |
| Perspectives 8(2): 137-151. O'Reilly Robert F. (2005). "Veto Points Veto Players and International Trade Policy." Comparative Political Studies 38(6): 652-675. Padgett John F. and Christopher K. Ansell (1993). "Robust Action and the Rise of the Medici 1400-1434." American Journal of Sociology 98(6): 1259-1319. Schmitt Eric and Mark Landler (2004). Cheney Calls for More Unity in Fight Against Terrorism. New York Times. New York: 10. Simes Dimitri (2003). "America's Imperial Dilemma." Foreign Affairs 82(6): 91-100. Snyder Jack (2003). "Imperial Temptation." |
Similar Titles:
Core Periphery Relations and federal State-Building in American political development
Delegated Empire: Information, Networks, and Political Control of the American Colonial State in the Philippines, 1900-1913
The 'Debate about Empire' and International Relations Theory: Beyond the Narratives of Sovereign and Imperial Power in Theorizing Modern World Politics
The 'Debate About Empire' and International Relations Theory; Beyond the Narratives of Sovereign and Imperial Power in Theorizing Modern World Politics
|
|