CHAPTER

03 US Hegemony in World Politics

Introduction:
In this chapter we will discuss several developments that were America refers to the United States of America. It consists
of two continents - North and South America, America being the only one of the continent's countries that is a symbol of
American hegemony. The first instance of US hegemony came into observation through Operation Desert Storm by the United
Nations during the First Gulf War to repel Iraqi forces from Kuwait. The US-dominated and won the operation due to the US
military capability and the vast technical differences between other states.

US DOMINANCE IN WORLD POLITICS

 1. Beginning of the ‘New World Order’ by the US
The dissolution of the USSR
led to US domination in
1991. It extended all its
powers and remained
intact. Kuwait was occupied
by Iraq in August 1990 and
later occupied. Following
several failed diplomatic
attempts by Iraq to end its
aggression, the United
Nations has ordered the forcible liberation of Kuwait. US President George HW Bush has described the decision by the United
Nations as the "New World Order". Iraq was defeated in the First Gulf War by a coalition of 660,000 troops from 34 countries.
This was known as 'Operation Desert Storm' or 'First Gulf War'. The war was largely American. This has opened up a vast
technological gap between US military capability and other countries.

The Clinton Years-:

George HW Bush lost the 1992 US presidential election to William Jefferson (Bill)
Clinton of the Democratic
Party. In this era, it is believed that America has returned to its internal affairs and
is not fully involved in
world politics. The Clinton-led
government focused on 'soft
issues' such as climate change and
global trade, promoting
democracy rather than 'tough
politics'. Yet America has
demonstrated its military
strength. The first was in 1999 in response to Yugoslavia's actions in the
province of Kosovo, mainly against the Albanian population. Second, in
response to the bombings of US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es
Salaam. The US-launched 'Operation Infinite Reach' is a series of cruise missile
strikes on Al Qaeda terrorist bases in Sudan and Afghanistan.

DO YOU KNOW?
“Abraham Lincoln” was born in a humble background in 1809, in the state
of Kentucky. His mother died when he was nine years old. He became a
distinguished lawyer and great orator. In 1847 he was elected to the
Congress. In 1860, Lincoln was elected as the 16th President of the USA
as a Republican Candidate. Lincoln played a great role in keeping the
USA united. He refused to give southern states the right to secede from
the Union. His greatest contribution to humanity was the abolition of
slavery. After the civil war, citizens of all states of the USA were granted
citizenship and equal rights. It was Abraham Lincoln who gave the famous
principle of democracy – ie. government of the people, by the people and
for the people.
 2. 9/11 and the 'World War on Terror':
On 11 September 2001, four US
commercial aircraft were hijacked
and important buildings were
seized in the US. The first and
second planes crashed on the north
and south towers of the World
Trade Center (New York), the third
on the Pentagon building
(Arlington, Virginia), and the
fourth on a field in Pennsylvania.
The attacks came to be known as '9/11'. The American response to 9/11 has been rapid and brutal. Clinton has been replaced
by George W. Bush in the US presidency. America launches 'Operation Enduring Freedom' as part of its 'World War on Terror'.
The operation was carried out against all those suspected of being behind the 9/11 attacks, mainly Al-Qaeda and the Taliban
regime in Afghanistan. Arrests were made worldwide by the US military, without the government knowing about the people
arrested. These people were taken to foreign countries and kept in secret prisons.

3. Invasion of Iraq
The US launched Operation Iraqi
Freedom on March 19, 2003, and
more than forty other countries
participated. The purpose of the
invasion is to prevent Iraq from
developing weapons of mass
destruction (WMD). As there is no
evidence of WMD, it is speculated
that the attack may have been
motivated by other motives, such as controlling Iraqi oil fields.
Activity
The U.S. invasion of Iraq has resulted in the loss of
Q1. Write a short note on the “Operation Infinite Reach”?
approximately 3,000 U.S. military personnel due to military
Q2. Write a short note on “Operation Enduring freedom”?
and political failure, and the death toll in Iraq is high.
Q3. Write a short note on “Operation Desert Storm”?

4. US power ban
There are three limits to US
power. The organizational
structure of America is the
first obstacle. The second
confinement was
indigenous and came from
the open nature of
American society. There is
deep skepticism about
government interests and
methods in American
political culture. The third
constraint on US energy is the North Activity
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Q1. What was the reason behind growth of Terror group “Al-Qaeda”?
only body that can regulate US energy Q2. Write a short note on why did missile attack on Sudan?
consumption in the international system. Q3. Write a short note on why Gulf War happened?
 5. India's relations with the United States:
India's closest friendship was with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Over the years, India has decided to simplify its
economy and integrate with the world economy. This has made India an attractive economic partner for many countries,
including the United States. In recent
years two new aspects have emerged
in India-US relations.
Among them are:
(1) Technical dimensions
(2) The role of the Indian-American
Diaspora.
There are three different strategies to
determine what kind of relationship
India has with the US. They are as
follows:
Indian analysts, who see international politics as a military force, prefer India to stay away from the United States and focus on
increasing national power. Other analysts see the combination of growing interests between the US and India as a historic
opportunity for India. The third group of analysts argues that India should take the lead in allying with developing countries. It
is very difficult to maintain Indo-US relations with a single strategy. There must be a mix of foreign policy strategies to deal with
America.

6. The meaning of domination:

The term 'domination' refers to the leadership or domination of a state under military, economic, political
power, and cultural domination. There is
politics for power. In world politics,
nations and groups of nations are
engaged in a constant quest to gain and
retain power. To understand world
politics, it is necessary to understand the
distribution of power among the nations
of the world.
During the Cold War, there were two
superpowers, the US and the USSR. But the
only power left after the
dissolution of the USSR is America. An international system dominated by a single superpower or superpower is sometimes
called a 'unipolar system'.

7. Hegemony in the form of hard power:

Hegemony is concerned with
the relationship, pattern, and
balance of military capability
between states.
The basis of American power
lies in the extreme superiority
of its military might. It is both
absolute and relative. America's
military dominance is based not
only on high military spending
but also on qualitative
differences. But still, the US
invasion of Iraq reveals the
weakness of US power as it was not able to force the Iraqi people to subjugate the occupying forces of the US-led coalition.
 8. Hegemony as Structural Strength-:
The idea behind this type of hegemony
is that an open world economy needs a
hegemony or dominant power to
support its creation and existence. In
this sense, hegemony is reflected in the
role played by the US in providing
global public goods. The best examples
of global public goods are sea-lanes of
communication (SLOC), the internet,
roads, etc.
America's economic dominance is
inseparable from its structural strength, which is the power to shape the global economy in a particular way. Another example
of America's structural strength is the academic degree known as the Masters in Business Administration (MBA). The idea of
teaching skills for business is uniquely American.

9. Hegemony in the form of soft power:

This type of hegemony refers to the
dominance of the class in the social,
political, and especially in the
ideological spheres. It suggests that a
dominant power possesses not only
military power but also the
ideological resources to shape the
behavior of competing and lesser
powers. America's dominance in the
world is based not only on its military
might and economic might but also
on its cultural presence. During the Activity
Cold War, the US achieved Q1. How the United States of America became more powerful country?
remarkable victories in structural Q2. Write a short note on the India-US relation?
strength and soft power rather than Q3. See the political world map and find out Gulf of Aden, make list of those
hard power. countries whose border touch with the Caspian Sea?

10. Overcoming the hegemony:

It is important to understand
that there is no one force to
balance the US military. Various
strategies can be helpful to
overcome hegemony. According
to the bandwagon strategy, it is
suggested to extract profits by
operating within the hegemonic
system, rather than engaging in
activities opposed to the power
of hegemony.
The hiding strategy means staying away from the dominant power as far as possible. China, Russia, and the. The European Union
is one example of this behavior. Another belief is that resistance to US hegemony may come from non-state actors rather than
from other states. It is believed that challenges to American hegemony will come from a combination of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), social movements, and public opinion.
 SUMMARY:
America refers to the United States of America. It consists of two continents - North and South America, America being
the only one of the continent's countries that is a symbol of American hegemony. Following the dissolution of the USSR in
1991, the first instance of US hegemony came into observation through Operation Desert Storm by the United Nations during
the First Gulf War to repel Iraqi forces from Kuwait. The US-dominated and won the operation due to the US military capability
and the vast technical differences between other states. William Jefferson (Bill) Clinton, newly elected US President in 1992
and again In 1996, campaigning for democracy, rather than military power and security, focused on softer issues such as
climate change and world trade.
The above policies of the US in response to Yugoslavia's actions against the predominantly Albanian population in Kosovo
by targeting the bombing through Operation Infinite against al-Qaeda in response to the bombing of US embassies in Dar-es
was denied. -Salaam and Tanzania in 1998. On 11 September 2001, nineteen hijackers from several Arab countries took
control of four commercial aircraft shortly after take-off and crashed into the Pentagon building at the World Trade Center in
Arlington, New York. The Capitol Buildings of the US Congress in Virginia (US Department of Defense) and Pennsylvania
became known as the event of 9/11 in America.
In response to 9/11, George W. Bush won the election in America after Bill Clinton. The US launched Operation Enduring
Freedom against all those suspected of 9/11 attacks, primarily against al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime. The US military made
arrests all over the world, imprisoning people in secret prisons such as Guantanamo Bay, a US naval base in Cuba, where
prisoners did not enjoy the protection of international law or the law of their home country. Of America. Even the
representatives of the United Nations were not allowed to meet these persons.
Bandwagon strategy: Taking profit by operating within the hegemony system rather than opposing it.
Global Village: It refers to America as village head and all nations are its member neighbors.
Manufacturing Consent: It refers to obtaining the consent of countries for the dominant power in a manner favorable to
the dominance of the dominant class. The Bretton Woods System: A basic economic structure of the world established by
America after World War II.
Sea Routes of Communication (SLOC): It is the naval power of sovereignty that underlies the law of the sea and ensures
freedom of navigation in international waters. Merchant ships usually ply on these sea routes.
 Questions For Practice
1. The word ‘possession’ has an origin? 10. In which year was the United States (c) The attack was to prevent Iraq
(a) Latin founded? from developing weapons of
(b) Traditional Greek (a) 1774 (b) 1776 mass destruction
(c) French (c) 1778 (d) 178 (d) The US lost more than 3000
(d) Spanish troops in the war
11. Which of the following statements
2. The beginning of American describes the poor state of the Soviet 17. Which of the following was part of
domination. Occurred in? its US terrorist war?
economy?
(a) 1990. (b) 1991. (a) ‘Desert storm function’
(a) Socialism was a prominent
(c) 1992. (d) 1993. (b) Computer war
ideology (c) ‘Work tolerant work’
3. Operation Iraqi Freedom Launched? (b) State ownership / control was
(a) 21 April 2003 (d) Video game warfare
present in the production
(b) 19 March 2004 process 18. Which of the following statements
(c) 23 March 2003 about hegemony is wrong?
(c) People enjoyed economic
(d) 19 March 2003 (a) A word means the leadership or
freedom
4. When did Iraq invade Kuwait? rule of a single state.
(d) All sectors of the economy are (b) It was used to describe Athena's
(a) June 1990 organized and controlled by the
(c) July 1990 rise to prominence in ancient
State Greece.
(c) August 1990
(d) September 1990 12. Which of the following IS NOT the (c) A country with a strong position
result of the collapse of the USS.R.? will have an irresistible military
5. The world's first business school? power.
(a) Harvard School. (a) The end of the ideological war
(d) Hegemonic area is suspended. It
(b) Oxford School. between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.
used to be a hegemon. always
(c) Wharton School. (b) Birth of CTS
hegemon.
(d) Stanford School. (c) Changes in the balance of power
in the land system 19. Which of the following statements is
6. Which of the following statements wrong about Contemporary World
(d) Middle East problems.
regarding the US invasion of Iraq is Order?
incorrect? 13. Which was the first Soviet Republic (a) There is the absence of a world
(a) More than forty other countries to declare its independence under government, which can control
took part in this invasion Soviet Russia? the conduct of the state.
(b) The United Nations has agreed (a) in Lithuania. (b) Moldova. (b) The U.S. he is a prominent
to invade Iraq (c) Armenia. (d) Georgia. player in world affairs.
(c) An attack was made to prevent (c) Countries use force against one
Iraq from developing weapons 14. The Bolshevik Communist Party was another.
of mass destruction founded by? (d) Nations that violate
(d) The United States lost more than (a) Vladimir Lenin. international law, are severely
3,000 troops in this war (b) Stalin. punished by the U.N.
7. The Cold War periods? (c) Nikita Khrushchev.
20. Which of the following statements
(a) 1914 - 1919 (b) 1939 - 1945 (d) Leonid Brezhnev. are wrong about Operation Iraqi
(c) 1945 - 1991 (d) 1965 - 1991 15. Operation Iraqi Freedom launched Freedom'?
8. The word 'hegemony' has its origin? on? (a) More than 40 countries have
(a) Latin. (a) 21 April 2003 joined the U.S.-led coalition.
(b) Traditional Greek. (b) 19 March 2004 determined to invade Iraq.
(c) French. (c) 23 March 2003
(d) Spanish. (b) The reason given for the
(d) 19 March 2003
invasion of Iraq was to prevent
9. Which of the following is part of the 16. Which of the following statements it from making weapons of mass
US Global War on Terrorism? related to the invasion of Iraq by the destruction.
(a) 'Operation Desert Storm' (c) Action taken within the prior
US is wrong?
(b) Computer war approval of the U.N.
(a) More than 40 other countries
(c) 'Permanent freedom of (d) The US-led coalition has not
operation' were involved in the attack
(b) The UN had given permission faced much opposition from
(d) Videogame Warfare Iraqi forces.
for the invasion of Iraq
21. Which of the following statements (a) New York. (b) Washington. (b) Operation Desert Storm
about dominance is incorrect? (c) Pennsylvania. (d) Virginia. (c) Operation Desert Prisoner
(a) The term refers to the (d) Operation Desert Hamas
28. Al Qaeda bombed US embassies?
leadership or supremacy of the
State. (a) Dublin (b) New Delhi 35. In which year was the United States
(c) Dar-es-Salaam (d) Zimbabwe founded?
(b) It was used in ancient Greece to
indicate the dominance of 29. The word 'hegemony' has its origin? (a) 1774 (b) 1776
Athena. (a) Latin. (c) 1778 (d) 1780
(c) The country has a dominant (b) Traditional Greek. 36. The dominance that shapes the mind
position, which has (c) French. through ideological forces such as
unchallenged military power. (d) Spanish. values, beliefs, etc. is called?
30. Which of the following is part of the (a) Dominance in the form of
(d) The hegemonic position is US Global War on Terrorism? unlimited power.
constant. Once captured. Always (a) 'Operation Desert Storm' (b) Dominance in the form of
captured. (b) Computer war structural strength.
22. When was Operation Iraqi Freedom (c) 'Permanent freedom of (c) Dominance in the form of hard
launched? operation' power.
(a) March 19, 2003 (d) Videogame Warfare (d) Dominance in the form of soft
(b) March 19, 2004 31. Operation Iraqi Freedom Launched? energy.
(c) March 21, 2003 (a) 21 April 2003
(d) March 21, 2004 37. 'Operation Iraqi Freedom' launched
(b) 19 March 2004
on _______?
23. In which year was the United States (c) 23 March 2003
(a) March 19, 2003
founded? (d) 19 March 2003
(b) March 19, 2004
(a) 1774 (b) 1776 32. Which of the following statements
regarding the US invasion of Iraq is (c) March 21, 2003
(c) 1778 (d) 1780
incorrect? (d) March 21, 2004
24. Attacks on the World Trade Center
and the Pentagon in the USA? (a) More than forty other countries 38. The US Department of Defense is
took part in this invasion headquartered here?
(a) Jamaat-e-Islam.
(b) The United Nations has agreed (a) New York. (b) Washington.
(b) Al-Qaeda.
to invade Iraq (c) Pennsylvania. (d) Virginia.
(c) Al-Badr
(d) Hamas. (c) Iraq was attacked to prevent the
development of weapons of 39. The World Trade Center and the
25. The US operation in Iraq is called? mass destruction Pentagon buildings in the USA were
(a) Operation Desert Suicide (d) The United States lost more than attacked by?
(b) Operation Desert Storm 3,000 troops in this war (a) Jamaat-e-Islam
(c) Operation Desert Prisoner (b) Al-Qaeda.
33. Which of the following is part of
(d) Operation Desert Hamas (c) Al-Badr.
America's World War on Terror?
26. What is 'Operation Iraqi Freedom'? (a) 'Operation Desert Storm' (d) Hamas.
(a) Military propaganda (b) Computer war 40. Al Qaeda bombed US embassies?
(b) Economic activities (c) 'Permanent freedom of (a) Dublin.
(c) Military solution operation' (b) New Delhi.
(d) Financial solution (d) Videogame Warfare (c) Dar-us-Salaam.
27. This is the headquarters of the US 34. The US operation in Iraq is called? (d) Zimbabwe.
Department of Defense? (a) Operation Desert Suicide

Solutions
1. (b) 5. (c) 9. (c) 13. (a) 17. (c) 21. (d) 25. (b) 29. (b) 33. (c) 37 (a)
2. (b) 6. (b) 10. (b) 14. (a) 18. (d) 22. (a) 26. (a) 30. (c) 34. (b) 38. (d)
3. (d) 7 (c) 11. (c) 15. (d) 19. (d) 23. (b) 27 (d) 31. (d) 35. (b) 39. (b)
4. (c) 8. (b) 12. (d) 16. (b) 20. (c) 24. (b) 28. (c) 32. (b) 36. (d) 40. (c)