n the final paragraph of his essay, Michael Cox makes the following statement:
[T]he modern international economy is now so interdependent that even if we accepted the perfectly reasonable idea that certain states can make relative gains here at the expense of other states there, in the end, most states – including most obviously the United States and China – have become entirely dependent on each other for their prosperity and security. To this degree, we no longer live in a world composed of clearly specified friends and well-defined enemies, but rather in one where partnership has become a necessity. Once upon a time, this way of looking at the world was branded by its critics as liberal idealism. In the twenty-first century, it has, in my view, become the highest form of realism.
The question I want you to address is simply this: Is Cox is correct? Specifically, write an essay (750 to 1,000 words in length) in response to Cox explaining why you agree, or disagree with his analysis. This essay should include
- An introductory section that summarizes Cox’s main arguments, and concludes with your thesis (I agree, because…I disagree because…)
- Then lay out your agreement and/or disagreement with specific examples from Cox and other reading we have done in this class. Here you want to make sure you address
- The nature of U.S. relative decline, and why (or why not) this is of concern – and to whom
- Something about the evolution of economic integration and how that impacts interdependence
- Finally, what the future might hold for U.S. hegemony (it will decline, or not, and to what effect).
- You need to include citations
- You must use Cox’s essay as a source (obviously), and at least three other sources FROM class reading.
Success…
You present Cox thesis accurately (whether you agree or not)
You must have a thesis statement of your own!!
The rest of the essay is organized well and your argument is clear.