There has only been one peaceful transition of hegemonic power in history—the peaceful transition of power from Great Britain to the United States after world war two. During that time, Great Britain, both financially and militarily, weakened by the European war, found far more prosperity in its alliances with America rather than conflict. However, such a peaceful transition in power is rare.
For most hegemonic states in history, power transfer has never been easy, often consumed by bloodshed and war; the movement of sovereignty often spills blood. In the current age, there is a new hegemonic power rising in the east and one in the west. That being China due to its economic and military prowess and the EU, because of its network of alliances and financial clout.
Currently, the contemporary hegemonic power, the United States, is on the back foot after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and its tumultuous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Consequently, under the Biden administration, the US is weakening in soft and hard power, creating a power vacuum for others to take its place, such as the EU and China.
We are seeing a new dawn in the distribution of power and sovereignty across the globe. Understanding foreign policy is critical to comprehending what is going on in the world. We walk you through this and more in this week’s edition of DDIntel.