Hyperpower
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Template:Original research A hyperpower is a state that is vastly stronger than any potential rival. Since the end of the Cold War, the United States of America has been often considered the world's only superpower. Many thus call it a hyperpower in order to indicate a differing world order from the politics of the Great Powers of the 19th and early 20th centuries and the superpowers that succeeded them during the Cold War.
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Origin
The term ‘hyperpower’ was popularized by French foreign minister Hubert Védrine in the 1990s to describe the United States and explain what had replaced the dominance of international relations by superpowers and great powers.
United States (1991 to present)
Between 1946 and 1989, the Cold War, the world was largely divided between American and Soviet influence. They were regarded as superpowers during this period. The collapse of the Soviet Union left the United States of America standing alone.
As of 2006, the U.S. has a military budget larger than that of the next twenty nations combined, spending $466,600,000,000, amounting to approximately $1600 per capita, per yearTemplate:Ref. Some observers have termed this a hyperpower era in which other powers are having to learn how to deal with the United States, while the United States has to learn how to wield its power responsibly. Others, such as Samuel P. Huntington, disagree with this account, seeing the U.S. in a multipolar world, with one superpower and several major world powers, as well as a greater influence on world politics from regional powers.
Some people believe that while the United States has an enormous military advantage over its rivals and any possible contender for superpower status, it is only a matter of time before states such as the People's Republic of China or India equal or even surpass the United States economically and militarily. Current economic trends indicate that, at least in terms of purchasing power parity, the growth in China's economy should lead to it passing the United States' GDP as early as 2020, with India catching up by 2050. These estimates presume that current fast growth rates will continue. The U.S. GDP is currently growing at just over 3% per annum, whereas China's is advancing at more than 9% growth with India's exceeding 6%. According to current PPP estimates, China's GDP currently stands at around US $8.158 trillion compared to the United States with US $12.37 trillion. India is estimated at US $3.67 trillion.Template:Ref
Yet more important may be the market rate GDP figures, where the United States is truly dominant. In 2004, the United States GDP was estimated at US $11.7 trillion, compared to just US $1.6 trillion for China, US $0.7 trillion for India. By this measure, these potential superpowers are unlikely to surpass Japan's GDP (US $4.2 trillion) in the near future, or that of the United States.
Despite the economic advances of other countries, some contend that the unique position of the United States in terms of military force will lead it to seek permanent dominance and, ultimately, global control through advanced military technologies, such as space weaponry, that would be virtually impossible to defend against. The United States Department of Defense has outlined a program to achieve such a state, calling it "Full-spectrum dominance", in their Joint Vision 2020 document. While some see this as a natural and neutral outgrowth of American power, others see this ambition as a worrisome situation, arguing that an overwhelmingly powerful nation would have little or no reason not to abuse its power and even become a world empire.
Arguably, the only historical parallel to American dominance on a global scale is the British Empire at its peak during the 19th and early 20th centuries. In earlier times, however, major regions of the world were more isolated. Hence the Persian Empire, Roman Empire and Islamic Caliphate can be seen as hyperpowers within the region of Western Eurasia, and the Maurya Empire and Chinese Empire within the region of Eastern Eurasia.
Notes
- Template:Note See the SIPRI Database [1].
- Template:Note Though the European Union does not control the militaries of its member states, its GDP is nearly as large as the United States (In 2005, the EU's GDP was $12.18 trillion, compared to $12.37 trillion for the U.S.). Among the EU's five largest members, the military of the United Kingdom invaded Iraq in 2003 while the governments of France and Germany condemned the invasion. The militaries of Italy and Spain supported the war but did not send troops until after the initial invasion. Despite these political problems, there has been substantial work in recent years on a common European Security and Defence Policy.