"山巅之国”的立国之因—支撑美国大国地位的主客观因素透析/"A State upon the Hill”: Studies of the Subjective and Objective Factors Which Support USA Hegemonic Status

Abstract

20世纪号称“美国世纪”，美国作为当今世界最有影响力的世界大国，其强国之路有一定的历史必然性。这种必然性表现为主客观2个方面：优越的地缘安全环境与难得的时代机遇为美国的发展壮大提供了客观条件；美国的创建者与后来的政治精英们构建了当时世界上最好的国内政治文化与成熟的制度安排，同时又得益于独特的政治思潮与精巧的国际战略谋划，这成为支撑美国大国地位的主观条件。正是得益于这些主客观方面的优势，美国保持了较长时间的繁荣和强盛，而且未来只要这些因素没有发生太大变化，美国作为世界超级大国的地位还将维持相当长的一段时间。

As the leading power in the world, the US has had the most important influence on international society in the 20th century which was named by some as the American Century. The reasons behind the success of the US could be characterized as “4 outstanding”. The first was the outstanding secure environment the US faced when it was emerging. Benefitting from the protection of the Pacific and Atlantic, the US grew to be a world power peacefully and quickly. The second was the outstanding historic opportunity the US experienced when it extended its strength toward the western states. Due to the prevailing attitudes of that time, no European countries criticized the violence and acts of aggression the US committed, which would seem impossible today. The third was the outstanding political culture and institution American founders set up in the 18th and 19th centuries, which helped the US to overcome many strategic challenges, and the fourth was the outstanding international regime designed by US elites, which helped the US to maintain its leading influence on the international community.