American Tianxia (Chinese: 美国天下; pinyin: Měiguó Tiānxià) is a term coined by the historian Wang Gungwu in 2013[1][2] to refer to the contemporary global order centered on the United States.
It was further developed by sociologist Salvatore Babones to analyze today's millennial world-system[3] through the lens of the Chinese concept of tianxia, meaning "all under heaven.
The concept of tianxia has a different set of meanings attached to it that Wang suggests and Babones argues are closer to what the United States actually displays in its contemporary approach to foreign affairs.
Despite the assumed sovereignty, Chinese language, culture and loyalty were strongly imposed and their status was based upon their proximity to China as a satellite state.
[9] In Babones' view, the individualism of this system constitutes the fulfillment of the End of History thesis of Francis Fukuyama, which posits that liberal democratic capitalism is the final ideological destination for nations on Earth.
Even more important, in Babones' formulation, is that globalized individuals in the American Tianxia have strong incentives to maintain the structure of the existing world-system.
[15] Like Imperial China, the United States does not ordinarily conquer countries in order to influence them, but instead achieves desired outcomes through economic sanctions, targeted attacks or strategic support of opposition forces.