Power, Structural Power, and American Decline

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

Text Power, Structural Power, and American Decline.docx - Accepted version Manuscript Download (81kB)

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
DOI :	10.1080/09557571.2019.1606158
Copyright Disclaimer :	© 2019 Taylor & Francis. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Cambridge Review of International Affairs on 16 May 2019, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ccam20
Related URLs :	Publisher
Depositing User :	Clive Harris
Date Deposited :	05 Feb 2019 14:16
Last Modified :	16 Nov 2020 02:08
URI:	http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/id/eprint/850368

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