Abstract: Cultural Hegemony refers to an action which a certain country, through the means of cultural expansion, spreads or imposes its values on the other countries so as to affect and change their values, behaviors, civilization patterns, and even the social system in the aim of taking control of them which cannot be achieved by military power. After the Cold War, the world structure has undergone dramatically changes. The United States became the only superpower around the world, and therefore its desire to take the position of the world leader intensified increasingly. Nowadays, under the economic globalization and political multi-polarisation, the military action is confined to a great extend among the great powers. Besides, the complete military intervention, economic oppression and political exploitation cannot achieve ideal results. Thus, the American government takes advantage of cultural hegemony through which it wants to take control of the other countries by expanding its culture.

Key words: the United States, cultural hegemony, “soft power”

中文摘要：文化霸权是指一国通过文化扩张,将其价值观念传播或强加给其他国家,从而影响和改变其价值观,行为方式,文化模式,甚至是社会制度,以期实现对该国的征服和控制,取得军事力量所不能达到的目的的一种行为。冷战结束后,国际格局发生了重大变化,美国成为世界惟一的超级大国,因而其充当世界领袖的欲望就愈加强烈。在经济全球化和政治多极化的今天,在大国间军事作用有限的情况下,运用赤裸裸的军事干预,政治压迫和经济剥削有一定局限。美国人选择了用文化霸权,通过向世界传播强势文化来达到征服其他国家的目的。

关键词：美国， 文化霸权， 软实力