ブックタイトル佐藤栄作論文集９～１６

概要

佐藤栄作論文集９～１６

the actors of international affairs, and also the balance of power among them. This isobservable in several different levels. The first is in terms of global power relations.As a result of the end of the Cold War, and also the collapse of the Soviet Empire,the world becomes unipolar. The US now reigns as the sole defining power, with nocounterpoise whatsoever. Discussion of the merits and demerits of the US hegemonyin international politics falls beyond the scope of this Essay. Suffice it to say, the US,with its predominance, is very much capable of determining whether an incidentconstitutes a grave problem, or simply a non-issue. In other words, the gravity of anissue in the age of globalization would most likely be tied more or less closely to theinterests of the Americans.“Globalizationdramaticallyaltersthestructureandcompositionoftheactorsofinternationalaffairs,andalsothebalanceofpoweramongthem.”It is a great relief that the US is essentially a“benign hegemon.”This means, it doesnot harbor ambitions to become an“expansionist,”i.e. to purposely conquer and invadeanother country. Still, its stance and actions often irk the international community,notably in such issues as democratization and human rights. Its 37-year old embargoon Cuba is a classic example of this. Overall, noting the American‘traditional’preoccupations, it is predictable that the course of the present globalization wouldlikely be laden with democratization and human rights affairs -- complete with theAmericans' pretensions of idealism and arms-twisting politics.The second observable change is at nation-state level, i.e. their changing roleand position in world affairs. Nation-states are now much less dominant, and theirengagement no longer paramount and exclusive. Other players, namely non-808