Module 11: Great Powers, the United States, and the International Political Order

What is a great power?

A great power is a state with greater influence and resources in the international system.

What characteristics differentiate great powers from other states?

• Large population and territory

• Strong economy that creates leverage

• High military capability

• Global interests extending beyond their borders

How do great powers shape international politics after major wars?

They remake the global political order by writing new rules, changing the distribution of power, redrawing borders, and establishing new international institutions.

What do victors of great power wars typically do?

They write the rules of the new system, determine sovereignty and membership, promote preferred regime types (like democracy), and design enforcement mechanisms such as reparations or collective security agreements.

What main changes occur in the international system after major wars?

• New states and borders

• New political and economic systems

• Creation of international organizations

• Shifts in the global balance of power

What were the main pillars of the peace settlement after World War I?

• National self-determination

• Promotion of democracy

• Collective security through the League of Nations

How did President Woodrow Wilson influence the international system in 1919?

He promoted anti-imperialism, democracy, and self-determination, and helped create the League of Nations to maintain peace through collective security.

What were the main elements of the peace settlement after World War II?

• Democracy promotion and nation-building (especially in Germany and Japan)

• Creation of NATO for collective security

• Marshall Plan for European economic recovery

• Establishment of global institutions (UN, IMF, World Bank, GATT)

• Bretton Woods system promoting free trade and globalization

How did the United States influence the post-1945 political order?

The U.S. led the creation of a Western liberal order based on democracy, capitalism, and international cooperation.

What is polarity?

Polarity is the distribution of power among great powers, shaping threats and alliance dynamics.

What are the three types of polarity?

• Unipolarity: One dominant power (e.g., U.S. after 1991)

• Bipolarity: Two dominant powers (e.g., U.S. and USSR during the Cold War)

• Multipolarity: Four or more major powers (e.g., before WWI and today)

How did bipolarity affect U.S.-Soviet competition during the Cold War?

• Stabilized alliances on both sides

• Nuclear deterrence prevented direct war

• Focused rivalry on ideology and influence

• U.S. used containment to pressure, not attack, the USSR

• The USSR eventually collapsed due to internal weaknesses

What explains the absence of great power wars since the mid-20th century?

• Economic interdependence and globalization

• Nuclear deterrence making war too risky

• Frozen territorial boundaries

• U.S. military dominance (unipolarity)

• Use of proxy wars instead of direct conflicts