Changes

==Unipolarity vs. multipolarity==

==Unipolarity vs. multipolarity==

With the demise of the [[Soviet Union]], [[Francis Fukuyama]] declared it the "end of history."  The "unipolar moment" had arrived, with the [[United States]] being the "only [[Superpower]]". The United States spoke of a "rules based order", which it empowered itself to enforce while freely violating those same "rules" that it imposed upon others, in order to benefit itself.

With the demise of the [[Soviet Union]], [[Francis Fukuyama]] declared it the "end of history."  The "unipolar moment" had arrived, with the [[United States]] being the "only [[Superpower]]". The United States spoke of a "rules based order", which it empowered itself to enforce while freely violating those same "rules" that it imposed upon others, in order to benefit itself.  With the U.S. dollar as a "global reserve currency" and the [[SWIFT]] network monitoring and transferring international banking transactions, and free-wheeling Congress willing to print and issue more dollars in circulation globally through [[deficit spending]] and debt financing, the United States was able of persuade, coerce, and blackmail nations with promises of aid and loans, or the threat to withhold funding.

==The BRICS challenge==

==The BRICS challenge==