Comparative Analysis of the Models of Power by Zbigniew Brzezinski and Yan Xuetong

Abstract

China’s economic, military and political growth led to the transformation of its identity. China’s new role in world politics and its emerging identity made scholars look for a suitable model for the rising China’s possible future hegemony. This article examines one of these models - the “humane authority” of Yan Xuetong, in comparison with the American model of hegemony described in the work of Zbigniew Brzezinski. The comparative analysis is based on the following parameters: interpretation of hegemony and the foundations of world leadership; attitude towards alliances and allies; international order and international norms; as well as the political and time context where both theories emerged.