Power, Structural Power, and American Decline

Kitchen, Nicholas and Cox, Michael (2019) Power, Structural Power, and American Decline Cambridge Review of International Affairs.

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Abstract

Over the past twenty years, debates surrounding American power have oscillated between celebrations of empire and laments of decline. What explains such wild fluctuations? This article argues that the power shifts debate rests on an underpinning concept of power based around relative capabilities that is theoretically not fit for purpose. We propose instead an approach to power shifts that locates power primarily in structural power. In doing so we show that developments in the character of the international system render structural advantage more significant to questions of international leadership than the balance of national capabilities. These developments also mitigate against systemic changes that might bring relative strength and structural position into greater alignment.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions :	Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences > Department of Politics
Authors :	Name Email ORCID Kitchen, Nicholas n.kitchen@surrey.ac.uk Cox, Michael
Date :	2019
Copyright Disclaimer :	© 2018 Taylor & Francis
Related URLs :	Publisher
Depositing User :	Clive Harris
Date Deposited :	05 Feb 2019 14:16
Last Modified :	29 Mar 2019 11:24
URI:	http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/id/eprint/850368

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