Description

The United States is the most powerful actor in the international system but it is facing a set of challenges that might lead to its decline as this century unfolds

In The Pursuit of Dominance Christopher J Fettweis examines the grand strategy of previous superpowers to see how they maintained or failed to maintain their status Over the course of six cases from Ancient Rome to the British Empire he seeks guidance from the past for present US policymakers Like the United States the examples Fettweis uses were the worlds strongest powers at particularly moments in time and they were hoping to stay that way Rather than focusing on those powers rise or how they ruled however Fettweis looks at how they sought to maintain their power From these cases one paramount lesson becomes clear Dominant powers usually survive even the most incompetent leaders Fettweis is most interested in how these superpowers defined their interests the grand strategies these regimes followed to maintain superiority over their rivals and how the practice of that strategy worked

A sweeping history of grand strategy The Pursuit of Dominance looks at the past 2000 years to highlight whatif anythingcurrent US strategists can learn from the experience of earlier superpowers