Deconstructing Declinism: The 1970s and the Reassertion of American International Power

TY - JOUR

T1 - Deconstructing Declinism

T2 - The 1970s and the Reassertion of American International Power

AU - Zanchetta, Barbara

PY - 2015/5

Y1 - 2015/5

N2 - In recent years, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the impact of the 2007–2009 financial crisis have led to a reinvigoration of the debate on the decline of American power. This article does not seek to join the ample debate on the real, relative or inevitable decline of American power, nor will it fire back by underscoring the many ‘exceptional’ characteristics of US power. Instead, it will turn to history – and to the 1970s in particular – in order to unveil a different angle from which to deconstruct declinism. It will interrelate three crucial policies pursued by the United States in an era of alleged decline – nuclear arms control, the opening to China and the readjustment of policy following the Iranian revolution. It will assess how successive American presidents reacted to the perception of decline, setting the basis for the renewed assertiveness of the 1980s and the successful recasting of US power that followed. The end result will lead to questioning the declinist debate, but from a different perspective.

AB - In recent years, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the impact of the 2007–2009 financial crisis have led to a reinvigoration of the debate on the decline of American power. This article does not seek to join the ample debate on the real, relative or inevitable decline of American power, nor will it fire back by underscoring the many ‘exceptional’ characteristics of US power. Instead, it will turn to history – and to the 1970s in particular – in order to unveil a different angle from which to deconstruct declinism. It will interrelate three crucial policies pursued by the United States in an era of alleged decline – nuclear arms control, the opening to China and the readjustment of policy following the Iranian revolution. It will assess how successive American presidents reacted to the perception of decline, setting the basis for the renewed assertiveness of the 1980s and the successful recasting of US power that followed. The end result will lead to questioning the declinist debate, but from a different perspective.

U2 - 10.1057/ip.2015.9

DO - 10.1057/ip.2015.9

M3 - Article

SN - 1384-5748

VL - 52

SP - 269

EP - 287

JO - International Politics

JF - International Politics

IS - 3

ER -