Examine the U.S. hegemony as a structural power.
With the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, one superpower ceased to exist. While another superpower, i.e., the U.S. enhanced its position. Thus, the U.S. hegemony began in 1991 after the Soviet Union disappeared from the international scene. The hegemony of the U.S. as a structural power: (a) The basic idea of the U.S. hegemony as structural power is that an open world economy requires a hegemon or dominant power to support its creation and existence. (b) The hegemon must possess both the ability and the desire to establish certain norms to sustain a global structure. (c) The hegemon usually does this for its own advantage. It takes advantage of the openness of the world economy without paying the cost of maintaining its openers. (d) Thus, hegemony in this second sense as economic superiority is reflected by the roles played by the U.S. in providing global public goods. (e) The U.S. hegemony prevails in all parts of the world, almost in all sectors in the world economy and in all areas of technology.
