There was a hypothesis proposed a number of years ago that a mono-polar world is inherently unstable. A second great power keeps the other “honest” to a degree and limits the scope of corruption. It doesn’t stop it entirely mind you, but it has to at least maintain the appearance of integrity or expose its vulnerability. Any world where only one great power exists, must eventually collapse under the weight of internal corruption.
This feels a lot like the collapse of the USSR. Like, yeah, shit wasn’t necessarily great before, but what comes after is worse.
There was a hypothesis proposed a number of years ago that a mono-polar world is inherently unstable. A second great power keeps the other “honest” to a degree and limits the scope of corruption. It doesn’t stop it entirely mind you, but it has to at least maintain the appearance of integrity or expose its vulnerability. Any world where only one great power exists, must eventually collapse under the weight of internal corruption.
Looks like the hypothesis had some merit.