Final answer:
Hegemonic Stability Theory proposes that global stability requires a dominant hegemon that enforces international norms and values. It stems from Antonio Gramsci's concept of hegemony, indicating cultural and ideological domination that shapes societal beliefs and practices. A hegemon influences other states through both direct means and cultural norms, creating an international system that reinforces its dominant position.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Hegemonic Stability Theory is a concept in international relations that suggests the stability of the international system requires a single dominant state, or hegemon, to enforce rules and norms. Antonio Gramsci, an influential Italian Marxist, played a significant role in conceptualizing hegemony as the dominance of one social class over others, maintaining their power through the cultural institutions and societal norms.
While originally pertaining to social and class dominance within a state, the concept of hegemony was extended to the international system to explain how a hegemonic power can enforce stability through the spread of its own political, economic, and cultural practices, creating an order where power relations are clearly defined and generally accepted.
Hegemons are seen as creators and enforcers of the world order, where their cultural norms and values shape the ideologies of the international community, allowing them to hold power over weaker states. These values and norms become so ingrained within the global society that they are viewed as common sense, and the hegemonic paradigm remains unquestioned by the majority. This theory explains both the exercise of direct power through military or economic means but also the subtle mechanisms by which the hegemon's ideology becomes globally dominant, often making overt conflict unnecessary as other states align themselves with the hegemon's worldview.