Abstract
Empire and hegemony. Two very similar words to describe two very different realities. Many authors have chosen to use either while others make it a priority to distinguish the terms. An empire is often defined as a political unit which has an extensive territory and one single authority to rule over it. On the other hand, a hegemonic state is a state which is able to impose a set of rules, in any sphere. This last definition does not include any sort of territorial conquest, and this is probably the main aspect which differenciates empire from hegemony, Great Britain from the US.
