Empire without an Emperor. America's inability to rule the world and its consequences.

Essay from the year 2004 in the subject Politics - Region: USA, grade: Distinction, London School of Economics (Department of International Relations), course: IR 410 - International Politics, language: English, abstract: The last 15 years, the period after the surprising and precipitous decline of the Soviet Union and the international structure of bipolarity saw another discussion of the future development of the international system. Some predicted that an ever declining America will be balanced by aspiring middle sized powers or new alliances; others foresaw a peaceful future in an America-dominated unipolar system due to the vast gap in the capabilities of the US and its closest pursuers. Whatever stand one made, one question remained and still remains central to an assessment of the future development of the international system: the role of the United States of America.