Power Transitions Strategies for the 21st Century - Book Report/Review Example

Politics Summary The first text examined is William Wolhforth’sInternational Security. One of the main considerations in this text is the change in the political structure following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Within the wake of this dissolution it’s argued that the world shifted into the political realm of unipolarity. Within this shifting of political power come increasing elements of political concern, as scholars argue that the unipolar structure is inherently unstable and conflict prone. The text presents three main arguments against this perspective. The first argument is that the system is unambiguously unipolar. The second argument is that the current unipolar system is prone to peace. The third argument is that the system is both peaceful and durable. The extent of Wolhforth’s text expands of these points in support of the efficacy of the current unipolar structure. JacekKugler’sPower Transition Theory for the Twenty-first Centuryconsiders the role of the United States in the third millennium. Within this context Kugler argues that the United States is engaged in a quiet war “between those who favor the expansion of American influence abroad and those who reject involvement in distant lands with strange names for purposes having little apparent linkage to their daily lives” (Kugler2000, pg. 3). Kugler argues along a number of lines within this context of understanding. One of his points is that the United States is currently ill-prepared to meet the challenges of continued expansion. Kugler considers the shifting nature of the geo-political situation, as the dissolution of the Soviet Union has resulted in unipolarity with the United States at the center. The text argues that in addition to a geo-political crisis, scholars are experiencing a theoretical upheaval as previous theories of political alignment and expansion failed to accurately describe shifts in the world culture. In terms of the texts overall content, it explores two major goals. The first goal is the presentation of a composite picture of Power Transition theory through its three main components. The second goal is translation of Power Transition theory into terms relevant for the articulation of the contemporary geo-political structure. The extent of the text is the articulation of those notions. Empirical Both texts present a number of empirical data that supports the underlining arguments. In terms of Wohlforth’s text both qualitative and quantitative data are presented as means of supporting the current geo-political spectrum as uni-polar. The text also considers the contemporary world in arguing that while GDP may not be an accurate indicator of unipolarity, the United States dominance in high-technology areas of development greatly contributes to its position as the world hegemonic power. In terms of supporting other main contentions, such as the peaceful durability of the current unipolar system, the text implements hegemonic and balance-of-power theory. The main contention in these regards is that, “powerful states (“hegemons”) foster international orders that are stable until differential growth in power produces a dissatisfied state with the ability to challenge the dominant state for leadership” (Wohlforth 1999, 23). The implication being that the current political situation of unipolarity will remain stable until another power emerges that can challenge the United States’ international decrees. Finally, in terms of this multipolar emergence the text argues that such an occurrence is unlikely as it would need to rely on regional partnerships. In terms of Kugler’s text, the main arguments are contingent on the notion of Power Transition theory. Generally speaking, this theory contends that the dominant power sits at the top and, “maintains its position as dominant power by ensuring power preponderance over potential rivals and by managing the international system under rules that benefit its allies and satisfy their national aspirations” (Kugler2000, pg. 6). Within this spectrum of understanding Kugler presents a number of empirical models that attempt to demonstrate the relative volatility of the world political situation as contingent on the lower country’s satisfaction with the hegemonic power. Kugler’s text goes on to consider many issues of that Wohlforth’s fails to examine. Within the domains of Power Transition theory, Kugler demonstrates that the United States’ claims as a unipolar/hegemonic entity are greatly challenged by contemporary shifts of the modern world. The most central of these shifts being the emergence of terrorism and nuclear weapons as means of challenging hegemonic rules. Historical William Wohlforth’s text presents a number of historical accounts as a means of bolstering his argumentative structure. One of the first such historical accounts is the comparison between historic unipolar and mutli-polar geo-political conditions and the current political climate. In these regards, comparisons are made with the Pax Britannica (1860-70) and the Cold War period (1945-55). In these regards, the text presents quantitative comparisons demonstrating the United States economic position as uniquely hegemonic. In considering geo-political alliances from a historical perspective Kugler’s text implements Power Transition Theory. This theory contends that while nations may achieve an alliance for a temporary period, if the two nations interests are not compatible long-term then they will ultimately split. Historically, Kugler references the United States and the USSR’s alliance during World War II, which was later divided as post-World War II interests shifted. Evaluations When evaluating William Wohlforth’s text there are a number of notable elements. While the text was written before many of the current political shifts occurred, one notes that many of the contentions within its overriding political theorization are either outdated or short-sighted. For instance, the text’s first main argument is that the world is in a current uni-polar structure the likes of which are even greater than that which occurred during British 19th century imperialism. Even as Wohlworth presents a number of valid points indicating the United States’ political domination, he fails to acknowledge the rising economic prominence of China. Indeed, it appears that China is simply not even regarded as a means of comment making the unipolar worldview overly Western-centric. Another prominent consideration is that a large part of Wolhworth’s argument is contingent on historical comparisons of unipolarity. While such comparisons structurally may designate the United States as one of current political superiority, they fail to take into account the many complex technological and contemporary political shifts that make this time in history unique from any past. In these regards, the emergence of nuclear weapons and general weapons of mass destruction creates increasingly political volatility and imbalances in political power in regions that historically would not be able to compete on the world-scale. Similarly, the threat of terrorism presents increasing amount of power imbalances. When considering Jack Kugler’s text there are a number of evaluative elements. One of the first considerations is the strong emphasis Kuglerplaces on theoretical models in being able to articulate shifts in the world political spectrum. In these regards he states, “The sense of uncertainty about the look of the new world stems not just from the radial changes it has undergone, but equally from the realization that the old theories did not predict and cannot explain why this dramatic transformation occurred” (Kugler2000, pg. 5). Even as Kugler is acknowledging the failure of the scholarship to accurately predict the future, his emphasis on said scholarship and later recourse to these political theories, such as Power Transition theory, underlines a strong embracement of the efficacy of these theories. While one would not disregard the ability of these political theories to provide a broad impressionistic account of the geo-political spectrum, one of the main contentions against Kugler’s text is the overemphasis he gives to the ability of these theoretical positions to over grand-narratives of the shifting of world culture. In many regards, such large-scale thought seems to tacitly promote a modernist line of thought in a starkly post-modern world. References Kugler, J. (2000). Power transitions: strategies for the 21st century . New York: Seven Bridge Press. William C. Wohlforth. (1999) "The Stability of a Unipolar World." International Security 24, no. 2: 5-41. Read More