Introduction

The USA is the only nation whose influence is truly global. The demise of the Soviet Union at the beginning of the 1990s left it without a military rival and, in the 21st century, its international role has been described increasingly in terms of empire. This is not intended to imply the territorial conquest and direct rule characteristic of past empires, such as those of the Romans, Ottomans, and British, but is a useful construct within which to consider America’s multifarious role in shaping the contemporary world.

“The United States is unique because we are an empire of ideals.”

Ronald Reagan US President 1980–88