The U.S. Empire and Northeast Asia

Authors

  • Robert E. Bedeski University of Victoria

Abstract

The roots of the American empire began at the end of the nineteenth century, and grew through two World Wars and the Cold War.With 9/11, a new phase of American global reach occurred. The Northeast Asian region, characterized by ‘incomplete sovereignty’, has been an area of special U.S.concern and involvement. Wilsonian ideals of ‘making the world safe for democracy’ has exerted considerable influence on U.S. willingness to take on overseas commitments. Similar to historical empires, the U.S. expansion, characterized as ‘Empire Lite’, has been both accidental and purposeful, but unlike past empires, the U.S. has not sought territorial aggrandizement. Its hegemony is tempered by pluralism and recognition of the awesome and ruinously expensive responsibility of managing global economy and security.

Author Biography

Robert E. Bedeski, University of Victoria

Robert Bedeski is currently Co-Chair, North Pacific Working Group, Council for Security Cooperation in Asia Pacific (CSCAP); Adjunct Professor and Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science and Program Professor Emeritus, Human Security and Peace in the Asia-Pacific Region, Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives (CAPI), University of Victoria. He has written extensively on security and politics of the Northeast Asian region – China, Japan, North and South Korea, Mongolia , and Taiwan, and is currently writing a book on The Formation of the Chinese State: A humansecurity approach to history and statecraft.

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Issue

Vol. 6 No. 4 (2004): Summer 2004

Section

Articles