Agonies of Empire: American Power from Clinton to Biden

The defeat of Donald Trump and the attack on the US Congress in 2021 marked a turning point in US history, with the country divided and facing skepticism from abroad. Leading scholar Michael Cox examines how five different Presidents have addressed the legacies of their predecessors and dealt with the challenges of running an empire under stress, offering a framework for thinking critically about US foreign policy without losing sight of the country's long-term decline.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 202 pages
Publication date: 08 March 2022
Publisher: Bristol University Press

The defeat of Donald Trump in November 2020, followed by the attack on the US Congress on 6th January 2021, marked a pivotal moment in the history of the American republic. Divided at home and facing a world skeptical of American claims to be the 'indispensable nation in world politics, it is clear that the next few years will be decisive for the United States. However, how did the US, which was riding high only 30 years ago, arrive at this critical point? And will it lead to the fall of what many would claim has been one of the most successful empires of modern times?

In this comprehensive volume, Michael Cox, a renowned scholar of American foreign policy, delves into the ways in which five distinct American Presidents – Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, and now Biden – have grappled with the complex legacies left by their predecessors while navigating the challenges of running an empire under increasing stress. By outlining a framework for critically examining US foreign policy since the end of the Cold War, without losing sight of the most fundamental question of all: can America continue to shape world affairs or is it now facing long-term decline?

The defeat of Donald Trump in November 2020 marked a significant turning point in the history of the American republic. Divided at home and facing a world skeptical of American claims to be the 'indispensable nation in world politics, it is clear that the next few years will be decisive for the United States. However, how did the US, which was riding high only 30 years ago, arrive at this critical point? And will it lead to the fall of what many would claim has been one of the most successful empires of modern times?

In this comprehensive volume, Michael Cox, a renowned scholar of American foreign policy, delves into the ways in which five distinct American Presidents – Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, and now Biden – have grappled with the complex legacies left by their predecessors while navigating the challenges of running an empire under increasing stress. By outlining a framework for critically examining US foreign policy since the end of the Cold War, without losing sight of the most fundamental question of all: can America continue to shape world affairs or is it now facing long-term decline?

The defeat of Donald Trump in November 2020 marked a significant turning point in the history of the American republic. Divided at home and facing a world skeptical of American claims to be the 'indispensable nation in world politics, it is clear that the next few years will be decisive for the United States. However, how did the US, which was riding high only 30 years ago, arrive at this critical point? And will it lead to the fall of what many would claim has been one of the most successful empires of modern times?

In this comprehensive volume, Michael Cox, a renowned scholar of American foreign policy, delves into the ways in which five distinct American Presidents – Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, and now Biden – have grappled with the complex legacies left by their predecessors while navigating the challenges of running an empire under increasing stress. By outlining a framework for critically examining US foreign policy since the end of the Cold War, without losing sight of the most fundamental question of all: can America continue to shape world affairs or is it now facing long-term decline?

The defeat of Donald Trump in November 2020 marked a significant turning point in the history of the American republic. Divided at home and facing a world skeptical of American claims to be the 'indispensable nation in world politics, it is clear that the next few years will be decisive for the United States. However, how did the US, which was riding high only 30 years ago, arrive at this critical point? And will it lead to the fall of what many would claim has been one of the most successful empires of modern times?

In this comprehensive volume, Michael Cox, a renowned scholar of American foreign policy, delves into the ways in which five distinct American Presidents – Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, and now Biden – have grappled with the complex legacies left by their predecessors while navigating the challenges of running an empire under increasing stress. By outlining a framework for critically examining US foreign policy since the end of the Cold War, without losing sight of the most fundamental question of all: can America continue to shape world affairs or is it now facing long-term decline?

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 157 x 232 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781529221541