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Good-Bye Hegemony! argues that hegemony is a fiction propagated to support a large defense establishment, justify American claims to world leadership, and buttress the self-esteem of voters. It is also contrary to American interests and the global order. Simon Reich and Richard Ned Lebow argue that hegemony should instead find expression in agenda setting, economic custodianship, and the sponsorship of global initiatives. Today, these functions are diffused through the system, with European countries, China, and lesser powers making important contributions. In contrast, the United States has often been a source of political and economic instability.
List of contents
List of Tables ix Preface xi Chapter 1 The Wall Has Fallen 1 Chapter 2 Power and Influence in the Global System 15 Chapter 3 Europe and Agenda Setting 51 Chapter 4 China and Custodial Economic Management 83 Chapter 5 America and Security Sponsorship 131 Chapter 6 The Future of International Relations 171 Index 185
About the author
Simon Reich is professor of global affairs and political science at Rutgers University, Newark.
Richard Ned Lebow is professor of international political theory at King's College London and the James O. Freedman Presidential Professor of Government Emeritus at Dartmouth College.
Summary
Many policymakers, journalists, and scholars insist that U.S. hegemony is essential for warding off global chaos. Good-Bye Hegemony! argues that hegemony is a fiction propagated to support a large defense establishment, justify American claims to world leadership, and buttress the self-esteem of voters. It is also contrary to American interests and the global order. Simon Reich and Richard Ned Lebow argue that hegemony should instead find expression in agenda setting, economic custodianship, and the sponsorship of global initiatives. Today, these functions are diffused through the system, with European countries, China, and lesser powers making important contributions. In contrast, the United States has often been a source of political and economic instability.
Rejecting the focus on power common to American realists and liberals, the authors offer a novel analysis of influence. In the process, they differentiate influence from power and power from material resources. Their analysis shows why the United States, the greatest power the world has ever seen, is increasingly incapable of translating its power into influence. Reich and Lebow use their analysis to formulate a more realistic place for America in world affairs.
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"A compelling qualitative study. . . . Selling Our Souls powerfully demonstrates that even after healthcare reform, increased access to healthcare is insufficient to level the healthcare field when institutions continue to reproduce durable inequities."---Stefan Timmermans, Social Forces
Report
"Mounting a frontal challenge to reigning theories in international relations and the conventional wisdom regarding the place of the United States in the international system, Good-Bye Hegemony! shows that the country stopped acting like a hegemon a long time ago. This accessible and engaging work will spark interesting and useful discussions in international relations and comparative foreign policy."--Jeffrey Anderson, Georgetown University
