ABD liberal hegemonyası ve güç dengesi: Kama takma stratejileri

The post-Cold War world order is presented as distinct from other historical incidences of attempts to attain hegemony. Tellingly, the term benevolent hegemony is used to define the exceptional nature of the US-led international system. The provision of public goods to others and the pioneering of liberal norms feature as the definitive aspects of US benignity. These attributes were claimed to have led other states to appreciate the US's role of leadership as conducive to the improvement of every one's interests. Yet, the multiple forms of resentment displayed by other great powers suggest the US's self-portrayal as benign, benevolent and well-intentioned towards others does not necessarily yield the expected results of approbation and admiration from its partners. Indeed, it appears relative power capabilities continue to remain a more reliable measure than good intentions. As a result, we see states engage in balancing behaviors to check the unrestrained supremacy of the US. From the multiple alternative balancing mechanisms available, this thesis explores wedging strategies as a significant means of degrading the dominance of the US by targeting its alignments in a unipolar international structure. In order to substantiate this claim, the Georgian War of 2008 and the Ukraine Crisis are analyzed as part of the Russia's strategy to prevent Ukraine and Georgia from joining NATO alliance and the Western camp. Additionally, China's declaration of Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in 2013 is examined as an extension of China's policy of weakening the US-Japan cooperation in order to reduce the US dominance in the region.