Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This paper explores the trajectory of human history through the lens of conflict, positing that war—defined by the conquest of territory, the accretion of power, and the imposition of control—remains the fundamental organizing principle of civilization. It argues that while the mechanisms of hegemony have evolved from the kinetic seizure of land to the weaponization of capital and economic interdependence, the underlying drive for dominance remains constant. We analyze the current "Pax Americana" not merely as a post-1945 phenomenon, but as the mature phase of an imperial project rooted in the 19th-century industrialization and expansion of the United States. Despite a perceived domestic stagnation and political polarization, the United States has engineered a profound economic divergence from its global competitors, driven by a monopolistic eruption in Artificial Intelligence technologies. This paper presents a literature review of the "frozen" nature of modern conflict—exemplified by the Russo-Ukrainian War and the fractured stasis of the Middle East—arguing that the American stronghold on the global financial architecture actively suppresses the transition of power and the redrawing of borders. Finally, utilizing demographic projections and a thought experiment based on the Strauss-Howe generational theory and historical imperial lifespans, we posit that the United States is approaching a critical cyclical juncture, occupying a temporary and fragile position of supremacy that belies the historical inevitability of hegemonic transition.
DOI: 10.17615/hj4b-sf36
Author: Thornton, Owen R.
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7123690027
FWCI:
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: