Even Crime Bosses Give Back

The Crisis of the American Leadership in the Changing World Order

Abstract

Building on Charles Tilly's work, this hybrid perspectives article argues that the U.S.-led global order implies leadership obligations similar to leaders who manage "protection rackets" in organized crime. Not only does America benefit more than any other nation from its position at the top of global leadership, but it also remains obligated to provide sufficient leadership in terms of economic and military protection to retain its membership against competing leadership structures. Just as with organized crime, if the crime boss fails to ensure that continued loyal support is more stable than changing sides, they inevitably evoke perceptions of lost power that result in catastrophic stability declines, membership losses, side switching, and eroding warfighting capability. This article thus argues that the U.S. should expect to expend resources to support it role as leader of the Western world order in order to compete with the rising power of the Chinese-led Eastern world order most commonly represented by the BRICS organization.