Define hegemony and explain its significance for Global World Order. (15)

In regards to Structural Power, a quality of a hegemonic state, a hegemonic state has great influence in the structure of the Global Politics and therefore a hegemonic state is significant in regards to Global Order. In context of the USA being the current world hegemon, the USA exercises disproportionate influence over many institutions held under the Global Political Structure umbrella. In regards to the USA, they have displayed great influence over institutions surrounding the issue of Global Economic Governance. The USA also heavily influence NATO. This influence has effect upon global economic decision making especially. The USA for example played a leading role in formulating a global response to the 2007-2009 Global Financial Crisis. In regards to a hegemonic states influence on world order and thus America's current influence over NATO, Nobel laureate Harold Pinter called America's bombing and dismemberment of Yugoslavia “barbaric...another blatant and brutal assertion of US power using NATO as its missile to consolidate American domination of Europe.” In this sense, a hegemon is able to have such large and significant influence within A global Organisation that they can even use said organisations for their greater good. This is a very Realist view of Global Organisations however it is conceivable. NATO wars, in fact, are America's for greater reach. Against Libya arguably its to control the only North African Mediterranean state outside its partnership, and only one of five African states not under AFRICOM. Replacing Gaddafi with the equivalent of a puppet assures America's entry, giving America unchallenged Mediterranean Basin dominance, a strategically important waterway bordering three continents.

Hegemonic states also have great significance for Global Order since they are primarily responsible it appears for Humanitarian Intervention. A state with hegemonic status such as the USA currently is certainly seen as the installer of New World Order. This is certainly conceivable, pressure is usually put on hegemonic state to act in the event of crisis. Whether it be a crisis in close proximity to the state itself or whether the crisis is in another continent. In regards to significance for Global Order, reassurance for up keeping Global Order is usually placed on the shoulders of which state appears to have hegemonic status. It is evident that states receive political pressure and pressure from the media to act in the event of a “crime against humanity.” They usually inform the hegemonic state to do as they wish to restore World Order and therefore the state has much significance for World Order. An example of such pressure was apparent after the Kosovo Crisis. “The CNN Effect” was the phrase given to describe the constant pressure put on the US government to act by the American News Agency CNN. Hegemonic states are forced to uphold Global Order.

In conclusion, when the word hegemony is put into political context meaning a leading state in a collection of states, it is clear to see how a single dominating state, a hegemonic state, has substantial significance in world order. A hegemonic state has great influence in Global Economic Order, an aspect of Global Order, this is due to the fact that only a hegemonic state, whomever it may be, has the power to effectively ensure the Global Economy remains stable. As the definition of Hegemony suggests, a state with such title must display vast and superior structural power. This dominance in structural power ensures hegemonic states have vast influence in Global Order. As discussed in the case of the USA, hegemonic states are able to, when in such position, use Global Associations as a means to their end. Therefore whom ever is of hegemonic status has large significance in Global Order because they primarily has great influence in Global Organisations. Lastly as discussed,  a hegemonic state have significance on Global Order because they are they are the ones that control it, through Humanitarian Intervention. In summary, it is clear that whoever is of hegemonic status, is in the position influence Global Order significantly, due to their power capability of being able to use Structural Power effectively.