Decline of a Superpower?

The United States has been considered for the past couple decades to be the superpower. With this consideration, the term unipolarity has been associated. However, this term doesn't adequately conceptualize the changing distribution of capabilities in twenty-first century global politics. There is definitely change afoot with the rise and fall of some great powers, but nothing so significant as to change the international system.

This could bring about the question of the United States' position in the international reals, is it in a decline? Well, who is there to challenge the US? The only three candidates would be the European Union, Russia and China. Economically the EU has potential, but it isn't even an established state yet. Russia is definitely an aspiring great power, but not quite at the superpower level. As for China, the most likely contender, its focus is still on regional dominance. Great powers should have superior military capacity, economic capacity and technological capacity; and they would have to match or surpass that of the United States to challenge it as a superpower.

Most notably, in a league of its own, is China. China has quickly risen as a formidable power, but not in the same manner as others. Its technological employment and military capabilities aren't on par with the leading state. The question then becomes: how far does China have to rise before the international system changes? China could continue growing its economy and advancing its technology to surpass the United States, but so long as it doesn't develop superpower's military capability the system will not change. However, the large scale and rapid growth of China has given it the latent material capacity to match the superpower. It is currently the only great power with that potential.

It will be a while yet until we see significant enough change in the international system. While the United States isn't exactly exerting it superpower status in the way great powers have in the past, it still remains unchallenged. The rise and fall of great powers isn't so much of a drastic change nowadays as history has shown.


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