Hegemony
Hegemony refers to the authority a state is able to exercise over a region or globally. Imperial power implies coercive control. A hegemon, while possessing dominant power, exerts its influence by creating the rules that legitimize its leadership in institutions and by exercising ideological authority. ‘Hegemonic stability’ requires that the leaders of a dominant state possess the will and capability to be the international stabilizer of last resort – politically, economically and, ultimately, militarily. Supporters of the United State during the presidency of Barack Obama have worried that this role has been underplayed and that it might become a permanent and unfortunate habit.