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The charm of a single world: How does the United States become the only superpower?
In international relations, polarity refers to how power is distributed in the international system at a given time. Since the end of the Cold War, theorists and political scientists have debated the role of the United States and the durability of its unipolar world. How the United States became the sole superpower in the post-Cold War era and the impact of this status on the international order remain a hotly debated topic.
The rise of a unipolar world
Unipolarity refers to a situation in which one country has overwhelming power and faces no rivals in a state of international anarchy. The United States' unipolar position has been taking shape since the late 20th century, and this has been explored in the works of many theorists. As one scholar put it:
"A unipolar system is a situation where there is no countermeasure."
Against this backdrop, America’s global influence relies not only on its military might, but also on the strength of its economic and political systems. This situation creates favorable conditions for the United States to dominate the world stage in a cooperative rather than monopolistic manner.
American dominance
Many thinkers have predicted American dominance since the 20th century. Of particular importance is the view of liberal institutionalist John Eikenberry, who argues that the United States intentionally created an international order after World War II to maintain its dominant position. In his view, while the United States had the capacity to project power without limit, it chose to create a durable institutional order that enabled other countries to have a role in the postwar world order.
Current international situation
Over time, scholars have engaged in extensive discussions on the current international order. Many have expressed concern that America’s unipolar position is declining and have begun to predict that the world is shifting toward multipolarity. Some scholars even believe that the challenges faced by the United States come from emerging powers such as China and India, and that such challenges put pressure on the United States' unipolar status.
"The world is neither bipolar nor multipolar. It still runs under the guidance of the United States."
Unipolarity and the impact of conflict and cooperation
Scholars hold different views on whether unipolarity is peaceful. Some scholars, such as William Wohlforth, argue that unipolarity can reduce the possibility of hegemonic competition and thus reduce the chances of conflict between major powers. His theoretical basis is the theory of hegemonic stability, which holds that in the absence of challenges from other powerful countries, the United States' behavior will appear more restrained.
“Imbalances of power make weaker states uneasy, prompting them to increase their own power.”
Comparison of Bipolar and Multipolar
Past historical experience shows that bipolarity can, to some extent, provide a relatively stable international environment. For example, the checks and balances between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War prevented large-scale conflict. However, multipolarity has also attracted the attention of scholars because in a multipolar environment, the complexity of international affairs has increased dramatically, coordination between countries has become more difficult, and it is very likely to lead to unexpected conflicts and instability.
Conclusion: Where is the future international order heading?
The United States' role as the unipolar hegemon and its future sustainability will be challenged by the rise of emerging powers. As global politics changes, how will the future international order evolve? Another important question is whether the modern international system will move further towards multipolarity and ultimately lead to the collapse of global cooperation?
In such an era of change, we cannot help but wonder: Can the United States maintain its unipolar status for a long time, or will it undergo fundamental changes amid new challenges and global changes?
