The paradox of hegemony: America's ambiguous relationship with the United Nations

There is an inherent tension between a dominant state's role as a hegemon a nd its role as a great power. Hegemons have the material capabilities to ac t unilaterally, yet they cannot remain hegemons if they do so at the expens e of the system that they are trying to lead. Thus there is a contradiction between the propensity for a powerful state to cake unilateral action in p romoting its self-defined interest and its desire to maintain long-term sys temic stability. This tension between parochial interest and international responsibility creates a phenomenon called the 'paradox of hegemony'. This article conceptualizes this as a form of 'role strain' in which hegemons ar e torn between their conflicting roles as great powers and systemic leaders . It illustrates these points by examining the tensions that have long defi ned the US relationship with the United Nations.