UNITED STATES AND IMPERIALISM: A PARADOX OR REALITY?

Abstract

Since the dawn of 21st century, American role has been predominant in shaping and
influencing the course of international relations. The American ideals grounded in the
“American Dream” have also been very much popular and the projected image of these ideals
and the dreams precipitate as a democracy, equality, freedom and justice. Once the American
global power reached its zenith in the post-World War II, the successive American regimes
felt the urge to take the reins of global order in their hands which was also complimented by
the interplay of various factors ranging from historical, religious, and political to economic.
Leadership also played a role in encouraging the spread of “American Ideals”. This led to
massive American intervention in the affairs of other states. The article takes into account
the historical process of America’s transformation into an imperialist power, which provides
an alternate approach of looking at American state behaviour in the contemporary world.