Power Has a Pattern: History Might Repeat Itself
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55737/trt/WR25.199Keywords:
Imperial Decline, United States, Spanish Empire, British Empire, Imperial Overreach, Comparative Historical Analysis, Hegemony, Patterns of PowerAbstract
The fall of historical empires has traditionally been known to be patterned, which has taken the form of economic excess, military buildup, political corruption, social imbalance, and a slow erosion of international power. This research paper will utilize the imperial overreach theory by Paul Kennedy and the cyclical theory of empire to understand the exact chronological order in which the Spanish and British empires fell, and to analyze whether the United States shares similar tendencies. The paper reveals overlap in fiscal stress, strategic overcommitment, domestic political instability and global competitiveness using a strict comparative historical analysis to clarify the overlaps. The results imply that in the absence of a realignment of the strategic priorities, the United States might be vulnerable to the same vulnerabilities as its predecessor empires. Using the theoretical implications of imperial overreach and cyclical decline, this paper offers a reference list in understanding the dynamics of world power and how historical perspective is essential to maintaining hegemonic power.
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