The never-ending cycle

The national security of a hegemonic power inevitably leads to the creation of a deadly cycle that will repeatedly result in much bloodshed. The more secure a nation, the more insecure its rivals. Rival states, in the legitimate pursuit of their own national security interests, will time and again move towards developing a foreign policy that seeks to reshape the global order into one that is more conducive to their own national interests. Before long, the rival power will either attempt to topple the hegemonic power or the hegemonic power will attempt to crush the rival. If the rival is successful in its attempt, it will become the de facto hegemon and will be forced to deal with its own rivals who, like itself before it became hegemonic, seek to reshape the global order and the cycle will repeat. If the hegemon is successful in its attempt to crush the rival, it will simply result in the expansion of its own power and responsibility and will be forced to deal with rivals again and again until it either collapses from overstretch or defeat, or conquers the world, thus successfully eliminating every rival and asserting complete and total control over the socioeconomic structure of the earth. This cycle cannot be stopped either through balances of power or international agreements, for neither can guarantee the security of the hegemon or its rivals. The cycle will always result in either constantly changing global order or the conquest of the earth. Even then, it is questionable whether the cycle will cease.