--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be a hegemon is inherently ambiguous…" description: "\"To be a hegemon is inherently ambiguous, usually implying some mixture of dominance and legitimacy, that is, being seen as contributing global leadersh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/richard-a-falk-8295_ambiguous_to-be-a-hegemon-is-inherently-ambiguous_2005181.jpg" --- # To be a hegemon is inherently ambiguous, usually implying… ![“To be a hegemon is inherently ambiguous, usually implying some mixture of dominance and legitimacy, that is, being seen as contributing global leadership in a generally benevolent manner.” quote by Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/richard-a-falk-8295_ambiguous_to-be-a-hegemon-is-inherently-ambiguous_2005181.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/richard-a-falk-8295_ambiguous_to-be-a-hegemon-is-inherently-ambiguous_2005181.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/richard-a-falk-8295_ambiguous_to-be-a-hegemon-is-inherently-ambiguous_2005181.jpg) > “To be a hegemon is inherently ambiguous, usually implying some mixture of dominance and legitimacy, that is, being seen as contributing global leadership in a generally benevolent manner.” [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being a hegemon involves both power and moral legitimacy in global leadership. **In simple terms:** Hegemony blends dominance with perceived benevolence. Key Takeaway Seek leadership that is both strong and ethical. Themes politics leadership legitimacy Mood analytical thoughtful Type academic philosophical When to use this quote - diplomacy - policy making - global governance Key Concepts international law power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What criteria define legitimate leadership? - How can dominance be exercised responsibly? A Different Perspective Power can be abused despite good intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambiguous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambiguous/) [Benevolent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benevolent/) [Contributing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contributing/) [Dominance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dominance/) [Dominance Legitimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dominance-legitimacy-3549819/) [Hegemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hegemon-2382408/) [Hegemon Inherently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hegemon-inherently-3549818/) [Implying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/implying/) [Inherently Ambiguous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inherently-ambiguous-3549820/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Leadership Generally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership-generally-3549821/) [Legitimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legitimacy/) [Mixtures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mixtures/) ## Related quotes > [Free and open expression coupled with visionary leadership generally encourages good decision-making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-russell-ballard/free-and-open-expression-coupled-with-visionary-leadership-generally/) [M. Russell Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-russell-ballard/) > [ People \[in US\] are starting to rethink this idea of empire, this idea of the United States being this superpower, the hegemon, is not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kuznick/people-in-us-are-starting-to-rethink-this-idea-of-empire-this-idea-of/) [Peter Kuznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kuznick/) > [What is wrong with the Iranians in addition to the nuclear bomb? 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Both, however, have their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/the-concept-of-need-is-often-looked-upon-rather-unfavorably-by/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [To discuss evil in a manner implying neutrality, is to sanction it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/to-discuss-evil-in-a-manner-implying-neutrality-is-to-sanction-it/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Writing prejudicial, off-putting reviews is a precise exercise in applied black magic. The reviewer can draw free-floating disagreeable associations to a book by implying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/writing-prejudicial-off-putting-reviews-is-a-precise-exercise-in/) [William S. 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Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/there-are-degrees-of-incompatibility-and-there-are-more-factors/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [Cumulatively, American society is sliding toward a new form of 'authoritarian democracy'. Elections continue, free speech is generally protected, institutions operate in accordance with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/cumulatively-american-society-is-sliding-toward-a-new-form-of/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [Historically, international law lent a measure of legality to the colonial system, and allowed the West to set the rules for participation as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/historically-international-law-lent-a-measure-of-legality-to-the/) [Richard A. 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Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [The UDHR has become an iconic document over the course of more than six decades, the starting point for discussions of whether or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/the-udhr-has-become-an-iconic-document-over-the-course-of-more-than/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [International law in its counter-hegemonic uses is very important in any domain where issues of legitimacy are significant, but is rarely able to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/international-law-in-its-counter-hegemonic-uses-is-very-important-in/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [The atmosphere of fear and security manipulated by the government has converted American citizens into terrorist suspects who are all subject to arbitrary and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/the-atmosphere-of-fear-and-security-manipulated-by-the-government-has/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [What both the state and the capitalist economy oppose is an understanding of what might be called "the true nature of things" (using the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/what-both-the-state-and-the-capitalist-economy-oppose-is-an/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [The fact that Universal Jurisdiction exists in relation to serious international crimes does convey two important aspects of the global reality: first, that such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/the-fact-that-universal-jurisdiction-exists-in-relation-to-serious/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [The weaknesses and biases of the international mechanisms of accountability make it seem desirable to extend the domain of accountability by empowering domestic courts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/the-weaknesses-and-biases-of-the-international-mechanisms-of/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [As matters now stand, the veto seems inappropriate, given the absence of any deep ideological split between major states, and definitely constrains the war-prevention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/as-matters-now-stand-the-veto-seems-inappropriate-given-the-absence/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [It should be appreciated that this whole effort to hold leaders of states criminally responsible is a rather radical challenge to territorial sovereignty and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/it-should-be-appreciated-that-this-whole-effort-to-hold-leaders-of/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [If Trump were to go ahead with a renewed policy of hostility toward Iran, it would immediately raise tensions, and could quickly escalate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/if-trump-were-to-go-ahead-with-a-renewed-policy-of-hostility-toward/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [Looking more deeply at the emergence of ISIS or the chaos that exists in Syria, Yemen and Libya would clearly raise crucial doubts about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/looking-more-deeply-at-the-emergence-of-isis-or-the-chaos-that-exists/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) [Explore all 82 Richard A. Falk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) ## More Ambiguous quotes > [Virtually every major technological advance in the history of the human species- back to the invention of stone tools and the domestication of fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dennett/virtually-every-major-technological-advance-in-the-history-of-the/) [Daniel Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dennett/) > [Happiness can be bought with a bottle of wine and has become ambiguous through overuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-can-be-bought-with-a-bottle-of-wine-and-has-become/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Somehow, in the novel format, I don't really like to do upfront, ideological discussion. In my heart, literature remains a poetic and ambiguous medium.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xiaolu-guo/somehow-in-the-novel-format-i-don-t-really-like-to-do-upfront/) [Xiaolu Guo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xiaolu-guo/) > [Redundancy is ambiguous because it seems like a waste if nothing unusual happens. Except that something unusual happens-usually .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/redundancy-is-ambiguous-because-it-seems-like-a-waste-if-nothing/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“In general we are reminded that the word heimlich is not unambiguous, but belongs to two sets of ideas, which, without being contradictory, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/in-general-we-are-reminded-that-the-word-heimlich-is-not-unambiguous/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [I want each poem to be ambiguous enough that its meaning can shift, depending on the reader's own frame of reference, and depending on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-arthur/i-want-each-poem-to-be-ambiguous-enough-that-its-meaning-can-shift/) [James Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-arthur/) > [Photography appears to be an easy activity; in fact it is a varied and ambiguous process in which the only common denominator among its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-cartier-bresson/photography-appears-to-be-an-easy-activity-in-fact-it-is-a-varied-and/) [Henri Cartier-Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-cartier-bresson/) > [My drawings inspire, and are not to be defined. 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