- The future sky will no longer just talk about speed, but intelligence. As the United States, China, and Europe race to create sixth-generation fighter jets, the stakes are not just air dominance but global hegemony.
Hegemony is the domination, influence, or strong leadership of one group, country, or ideology over another group, country, or ideology, often through consensus and legitimacy, not just coercion. This term can also refer to the dominance of certain ideas or values widely accepted in society, shaping the way many people think and act.
More specifically, hegemony can be explained as follows:
Dominance:
Hegemony involves significant power and influence of one group over another.
Consensus:
Despite dominance, hegemony also involves acceptance, even voluntary participation, from the dominated groups. This can occur through the spread of ideologies, values, or norms that are seen as beneficial by the dominant group.
Legitimacy:
The dominant group often seeks to legitimize its power by convincing other groups that their domination is something natural, normal, or even beneficial for all.
Ideology:
Hegemony can be reflected in dominant ideology, which is the system of beliefs, values, and worldviews embraced by the ruling group and disseminated to other groups.
Culture:
Hegemony can also be seen in popular culture, lifestyles, and social norms that are widely accepted and considered "normal" or "standard."
Examples of hegemony in various contexts:
State:
A country can become a hegemony in international relations, influencing the policies of other countries through economic, political, or military power.
Social Class:
The dominant group in society, such as the upper class or capital owners, can have hegemony over the lower class through control over resources, media, and social institutions.
Ideology:
Certain ideologies, such as capitalism or liberalism, can become hegemonic if widely accepted and shaping the way society thinks.
Media:
Mass media can also play a role in creating hegemony by shaping public opinion and disseminating certain ideologies.
It is important to remember that hegemony is not always permanent or static. The dominant group must continuously strive to maintain their hegemony in various ways, and the dominated group can also resist or reject that hegemony.
These three power blocks are now designing fighter jets that are no longer just machines of war, but "flying brains": capable of making decisions independently, controlling drones in formation, and even leading battles from outer space to the ground.
