American Empire: A Debate

by Bradley A. Thayer and Christopher Layne

Book Overview

In this short, accessible book Layne and Thayer argue the merits and demerits of an American empire. With few, if any, rivals to its supremacy, the United States has made an explicit commitment to maintaining and advancing its primacy in the world. But what exactly are the benefits of American hegemony and what are the costs and drawbacks for this fledgling empire? After making their best cases for and against an American empire, subsequent chapters...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0415952034
• ISBN13: 9780415952033
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 166 Pages
• Weight: 0.87 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Interesting but missing something

This book presents a debate between two thinkers on whether or not the American empire is a positive development or negative. While one presents the usual arguments for isolationism and multi-lateralism, despite the fact that it hasn't worked when it comes to preventing genocide in Darfur, the other presents arguments for America as a global empire with interests everywhere policing conflicts. But the debate misses a third point: the concept of the idea of American empire is itself flawed. America is a hegemon for all intents but whether that means it is an empire or that it wants to be an empire or is imperialistic is another matter. What is an empire? A third point should have been made that the arguments against American empire are arguing against a straw man that doesn't exist, and that there really are very few people that think America should be defined as an 'empire'. Seth J. Frantzman