The United States’ Hegemony and the Problem of Legitimizing Dominance in International Politics: Reframing the Western Theories

As the rising powers exhibit determination to challenge the United States’ hegemony, the problem of legitimizing dominance in international politics becomes increasingly significant. At the same time, the mainstream currents of IR theory (neorealism, neoliberal institutionalism, social constructivism, neo-Marxism) examine this topic either on the “unit†level (actions and properties of the separate states) or on the level of “structure†(material, social, or ideological), serving to ensure reproduction of political inequity. This situation produces substantial methodological complications with respect to shaping comprehensive understanding of the legitimizing tools of international dominance. Seeking to overcome this duality, the author engages theoretical insights of the English school to explore the United States’ legitimation strategies, whereby Washington has sought to ensure recognition of its privileged standing within the existing international society. The author focuses on the hegemonic roles of the United States – “leader†, “enforcer†, “security guarantor†, and “prosperity guarantor†– to expose the tools, ensuring connection between Washington’s policies and “primary goals†of the international society. Application of this approach allows to engage in the investigation important variables of both “unitary†(actions and ideas of the hegemonic state) and “structural†levels (role prescriptions and collective goals of the community of states) and, thus, to shape more integrative vision of the mechanisms of legitimizing the United States’ post-Cold War hegemony. The author concludes that the role practices of legitimacy, pursued bythe U.S., ensure reproduction of power relations, and contain the source of tension, undermining the “American hegemony†under conditions of growing rivalry with the rising powers.