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Quote by Richard A. Falk

“To be a hegemon is inherently ambiguous, usually implying some mixture of dominance and legitimacy, that is, being seen as contributing global leadership in a generally benevolent manner.”

Quote by Richard A. Falk

Author

Richard A. Falk

Richard A. Falk is a renowned international law scholar, born on November 13, 1930. He has extensive research and teaching experience in the fields of international law and international relations. more

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“As such the meaning of hegemony is subject to varying interpretations depending on how the historical role of the United States is interpreted.”

States United Roles United States Subjects Historical Interpretation Hegemony

Author:Richard A. Falk

“After the Second World War, facilitating the establishment of the UN and aiding the reconstruction of Europe, the United States was widely viewed, at least in the West, as a benevolent hegemon. In the non-West, the US was often perceived as a supporter of the colonial powers in their struggle to maintain control over their colonial possessions, and was viewed far more critically, especially by emerging elites that were more inclined to socialist development paradigms than to the capitalist ethos favoured by Washington.”

“More recently the US has more accurately been viewed as a militarist 'empire' that fights destructive wars and intervenes in a variety of societies, especially in the Middle East to retain control over oil reserves, and lends crucial support to Israel that not only oppresses the Palestinian people but threatens to convert the entire region into a war zone.”

People War Fighting Support Middle Israel Oil East Variety Destructive Zone Empires Regions Crucial Middle East Palestinian Reserves War Zones

Author:Richard A. Falk

“At present, the United States, with over 700 foreign military bases, navies in every ocean, a programme to militarise space, and drone bases planned for all regions of the world, is increasingly perceived in relation to its hard power diplomacy, a threat to political independence and stability for many countries.”

“America is perhaps best viewed as an 'authoritarian democracy' within its own territory and as 'a global state' of a new kind when considered internationally.”

Kind States America Democracy Territory

Author:Richard A. Falk

“Historically, international law lent a measure of legality to the colonial system, and allowed the West to set the rules for participation as a sovereign state on a global level. It also protected the interests of foreign investment in countries of the global South even when these were exploitative, and deprived countries of the benefits of resources situated within their territories.”

Country States Law Interest Levels Benefits Resources West Investment South International Territory Protected Sovereign Participation Deprived International Law Legality

Author:Richard A. Falk

“The idea of self-determination was gradually given credibility by international law, and it lent strong emancipatory support to movements of liberation struggling against a West-centric world order. Latin American countries used international law creatively, both to limit the protection of foreign investment by establishing the primacy of national sovereignty in relation to natural resources, and by building support for the norm on non-intervention in internal affairs.”

“Both Israel and the United States have mounted attacks on 'lawfare', that is, counter-hegemonic uses of international law to question policies associated with the occupation of Palestine and criminal tactics of warfare.”

States Use Law United United States Policy International Israel Criminals Occupation Warfare Palestine Tactics International Law

Author:Richard A. Falk

“Human rights and international criminal law both illustrate the contradictory potential of international law. On one level, the imposition of human rights norms is a restraint on interventionary diplomacy, especially if coupled with respect for the legal norm of self-determination. But on another level, the protection of human rights creates a pretext for intervention as given approval by the UN Security Council in the form of the R2P (responsibility to protect) norm, as used in the 2011 Libyan intervention. The same applies with international criminal accountability.”

“In most of Pakistan it is a feudal country. People are very scared and oppressed by authority. But when you move to these wilder areas, they are not so easily suppressed.”

People Country Moving Authority Areas Scared Oppressed Pakistan Wilder

Author:Imran Khan