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Military Power Does Not Denote Capacity

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  • Victor Alexandre G. Teixeira

Abstract

The following study analyzes the exercise of power by both the United States and China in their confrontation for hegemonic dominance. Through observational and qualitative methods, an examination of the mechanisms underlying China's strategic statecraft and how it implements its exercise of power reveals its genesis and how it contested and controlled the order in Southeast Asia. Navigating through economic indicators, the research determines that the decline of American power is a myth, but it establishes a decline in its influence and prestige arising from its strategic and tactical choices. The study identified multiple systemic contingencies and political irrationalities for the non‐realization of systemic unipolarity, resulting in a nonpolar world. It concludes that neither the incomparable military power of the United States nor the greater economic power of China has, in the contemporary world, fundamental comparative advantages for achieving systemic hegemony. El siguiente estudio analiza el ejercicio del poder tanto de Estados Unidos como de China en su enfrentamiento por el dominio hegemónico. A través de métodos de observación y cualitativos, un examen de los mecanismos subyacentes al arte de gobernar estratégico de China y cómo implementa su ejercicio del poder revela su génesis y cómo impugnó y controló el orden en el sudeste asiático. Navegando a través de indicadores económicos, la investigación determina que el declive del poder estadounidense es un mito, pero establece un declive en su influencia y prestigio derivado de sus elecciones estratégicas y tácticas. El estudio identificó múltiples contingencias sistémicas e irracionalidades políticas para la no realización de la unipolaridad sistémica, lo que resultó en un mundo no polar. Concluye que ni el incomparable poder militar de Estados Unidos ni el mayor poder económico de China tienen, en el mundo contemporáneo, ventajas comparativas fundamentales para lograr la hegemonía sistémica. 下面的研究分析了美國和中國在爭奪霸權主導地位時的權力行使。通過觀察和定性的方法,考察中國戰略治國的機制及其行使權力的方式,揭示了中國的起源以及它如何對抗和控制東南亞的秩序。通過經濟指標,該研究確定美國實力的下降是一個神話,但它確立了其戰略和戰術選擇導致其影響力和威望的下降。該研究確定了系統性單極未實現的多重系統性突發事件和政治上的不合理性,從而導致了一個非兩極世界。其結論是,在當今世界,無論是美國無與倫比的軍事實力還是中國強大的經濟實力,都不具備實現系統性霸權的根本比較優勢。

Suggested Citation

  • Victor Alexandre G. Teixeira, 2021. "Military Power Does Not Denote Capacity," World Affairs, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 184(4), pages 521-559, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:woraff:v:184:y:2021:i:4:p:521-559
    DOI: 10.1177/00438200211050652
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert J. Lieber, 2016. "Diplomacy's Aversion to Power," World Affairs, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 179(1), pages 35-45, June.
    2. Victor Alexandre G. Teixeira, 2021. "The Hegemony’s Contest in the South China Sea," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, July.
    3. Gerschewski, Johannes, 2013. "The three pillars of stability: legitimation, repression, and co-optation in autocratic regimes," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 20(1), pages 13-38.
    4. Allan, Bentley B. & Vucetic, Srdjan & Hopf, Ted, 2018. "The Distribution of Identity and the Future of International Order: China's Hegemonic Prospects," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 72(4), pages 839-869, October.
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