The Use of Force Against Hegemonic Malcontents

Malcontents within international relations are small states that signal the decline of the hegemonic state. While not the direct cause of a hegemonic state‘s downfall, the malcontent is a sign that the hegemon is becoming weaker and the more malcontents is a symbol of the dwindling power of a hegemon. This work takes combines hegemonic theory and international relations theory to form a typology of malcontents. In addition this work introduces a futures analysis methodology that helps to quantify the impact that malcontents have on the hegemonic future of the United States. This typology divides malcontents into three specific categories, revolutionary, benign, and passive aggressive according to their approach to achieving their national goals. The futures analysis exercise gives results that show how malcontents are a part of a much larger decline in general. Malcontents help to demonstrate how weak the hegemon really is, further hastening its decline. The use of force against hegemonic malcontents is often the only policy choice left and it is often the worst policy decision that can be made.