History Main / HegemonicEmpire

* ImperialChina operated on this principle for centuries. In dynastic Chinese political theory, the Emperor was the 'Son of Heaven' and thus the legitimate sovereign of the entire world; even states that weren't directly under Chinese control were expected to recognize this fact. It only really fell apart when the rising power of the industrial West coincided with a period of relative weakness for China; unsurprisingly, the imperialist Western powers (who were used to thinking of themselves as the best people on the planet) weren't too happy to kow-tow to the monarch of some (in their view) backwards nation. A few humiliating (for the Chinese) wars later, it was getting rather difficult to keep pretending that China was the grandest place on earth; this ultimately led to the downfall of last imperial dynasty, and to the founding of Republic of China, which would eventually be conquered (on the mainland) by the [[PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny People's Republic of China]].

You know the typical portrayal of TheEmpire? Militaristic, totalitarian, imperialist, all-powerful and massively dysfunctional. The sort of empire where BigBrotherIsWatching and ruling his occupied provinces with an iron fist, blatantly eradicating all sorts of dissent through mass executions, concentration camps, indiscriminate incarcerations, and indefinite detentions. ''WellThisIsNotThatTrope.'' This Empire works a bit differently.

** Another aspect of Putin's foreign policy is his warm relationship with several right wing populist politicians, some of which are arguably financed with Russian money and/or extolled in Russian media outlets like RT and Sputnik News. It's telling that when Marine Le Pen of the French National Front proposed a dog whistle ban on double citizenship for French people the only nationality she explicitly exempted was Russian and French.

* In the ''TabletopGame/{{Battletech}}'', the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Terran Hegemony]] turned into this when it peacefully integrated the Inner Sphere, making all the Great Houses part of a united political entity and founding [[GoldenAge the Star League]] with the Hegemony's leader its "first among equals". Subverted when the Star League tried to extend their hegemony to the major Periphery realms and the Periphery realms refused, as the League replied with a war of conquest that lasted twenty years and all but razed the Periphery to the ground. This war would eventually sow the seeds of the Star League's destruction, as the heirs of forcefully subdued Periphery nations eventually caused the League's destruction a century later.

* Unlike its [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer40000}} far future counterpart]], TheEmpire in TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}} is ruled by a [[TheGoodKing genuinely benevolent]] [[TheEmperor Emperor]]. While there are times when bandits and rebellious lords have to get put down, the armies generally spend their time protecting the Empire from invasion by [[GrimUpNorth external]] [[OurOrcsAreDifferent forces]]. Life there is far from ''nice'', but it beats the Hell out of everywhere ''else'' in the setting, as you can generally find some sort of job, a place to live, and something vaguely resembling food. Just stay away from [[RodentsOfUnusualSize the sewers]] and avoid anyone with physical deformities or [[ReligionOfEvil unfamiliar iconography]]. It's basically a fantasy version of the Holy Roman Empire.

* ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': The Imperial Republic of Falcrest, by its own words, never ''conquers'' anyone, because [[PragmaticVillainy military conquest breeds diseases and discontent, and is highly wasteful besides.]] Despite being the known world’s foremost naval power, Falcrest prefers slower but more efficient methods of economic and cultural domination in its bid to TakeOverTheWorld: trade monopolies to seduce countries with wealth and render them economically dependent, schools to give foreign children high educations and indoctrinate them with Falcresti values, vaccinations prioritized to particular groups after first contact inevitably causes plagues... and while that's happening, Falcrest is using spies and [[IHaveYourWife hostages]] to destabilize things behind the scenes so that they can heroically step in and provide aid to those poor, suffering primitives — [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse with their consent, of course]]. WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs is discussed, as there's no way to separate the terrible things Falcrest does to its provinces (criminalization of old customs and mutilation of offenders, eugenics programs, suppression of native cultures, etc.) from the genuinely good ones (improved education, engineering, sanitation, etc.)

* ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': The Imperial Republic of Falcrest, by its own words, never ''conquers'' anyone, because [[PragmaticVillainy military conquest breeds diseases and discontent, and is highly wasteful besides.]] Despite being the known world’s foremost naval power, Falcrest prefers slower but more efficient methods of economic and cultural domination in its bid to TakeOverTheWorld: trade monopolies to seduce countries with wealth and render them economically dependent, schools to give foreign children high educations and indoctrinate them with Falcresti values, vaccinations prioritized to particular groups after first contact inevitably causes plagues... and while that's happening, Falcrest is using spies and [[IHaveYourWife hostages]] to destabilize things behind the scenes so that they can heroically step in and provide aid to those poor, suffering primitives. WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs is discussed, as there's no way to separate the terrible things Falcrest does to its provinces (criminalization of old customs and mutilation of offenders, eugenics programs, suppression of native cultures, etc.) from the genuinely good ones (improved education, engineering, sanitation, etc.)

* ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': The Imperial Republic of Falcrest, by its own words, never ''conquers'' anyone, because [[PragmaticVillainy military conquest breeds diseases and discontent, and is highly wasteful besides.]] Despite being the known world’s foremost naval power, Falcrest prefers slower but more efficient methods of economic and cultural domination in its bid to TakeOverTheWorld: trade monopolies to seduce countries with wealth and render them economically dependent, schools to give foreign children high educations and indoctrinate them with Falcresti values, vaccinations prioritized to particular groups after first contact inevitably causes plagues... and while that's happening, Falcrest is destabilizing things behind the scenes to ''force'' people to give them room for those methods. WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs is discussed, as there's no way to separate the terrible things Falcrest does to its provinces (criminalization of old customs and mutilation of offenders, eugenics programs, suppression of native cultures, etc.) from the genuinely good ones (improved education, engineering, sanitation, etc.)

* The Republic of Venice.
* The Dutch in the seventeenth century.

** ''VideoGame/VictoriaAnEmpireUnderTheSun'' also has the "sphere of influence" mechanic, where countries are integrated into the domestic market and are more willing to accept (or in fact unable to refuse) diplomatic offers, while still nominally sovereign. In exchange, you have to protect them from rebellion and outside aggression.

* Feudal Japan, as the vassal states were held together more out of reverence for the Emperor than by any direct control.

"Hegemony" is an indirect form of imperial dominance where the hegemon (leader state) rules subordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. A Hegemonic Empire doesn't need to [[AppealToForce rule through its military]]. It doesn't need to [[OrwellianEditor remove]] and [[InternalRetcon rewrite]] facts. It has no need to [[DoubleThink believe a contradiction]] or [[NewSpeak destroy the vocabulary]]. At the same time, it ''can'' do all of these, sometimes a bit more subtly. A Hegemonic Empire dominates through [[MoreThanMindControl attraction, absorption, enthrallment]] and sometimes BreadAndCircuses. Only towards its "enemies" does it utilize coercion, extortion and indoctrination. Common subordinate nations include protectorates, colonies, supported dictatorships, mini-states (designed to reflect their interests as a supposedly independent nation), occupied territories (where they'll force the natives to basically leach off their invaders' resources to survive), satellite states and puppet governments.

* ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': The Imperial Republic of Falcrest, by its own words, never ''conquers'' anyone, because [[PragmaticVillainy military conquest breeds diseases and discontent, and is highly wasteful besides.]] Despite being the known world’s foremost naval power, Falcrest prefers slower but more efficient methods of economic and cultural domination in its bid to TakeOverTheWorld: trade monopolies to seduce countries with wealth and render them economically dependent, schools to give foreign children high educations and indoctrinate them with Falcresti values, vaccinations prioritized to particular groups after first contact inevitably causes plagues... and while that's happening, Falcrest is destabilizing things behind the scenes to ''force'' people to give them room for those methods. WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs is discussed, as there's no way to separate the terrible things Falcrest does to its provinces (criminalization of old customs, mutilation of offenders, eugenics programs, suppression of native cultures, etc.) from the genuinely good ones (improved education, engineering, sanitation, etc.)

* ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': The Imperial Republic of Falcrest, by its own words, never ''conquers'' anyone, because [[PragmaticVillainy military conquest breeds diseases and discontent, and is highly wasteful besides.]] Despite being the known world’s foremost naval power, Falcrest prefers slower but more efficient methods of economic and cultural domination in its bid to TakeOverTheWorld: trade monopolies to seduce countries with wealth and render them economically dependent, schools to give foreign children high educations and indoctrinate them with Falcresti values, vaccinations prioritized to particular groups after first contact inevitably causes plagues... and while that's happening, Falcrest is destabilizing things behind the scenes to ''force'' people to give them room for those methods. WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs is discussed, as there's no way to separate the terrible things Falcrest does to its provinces (brutal laws, eugenics programs, suppression of native cultures, etc.) from the genuinely good ones (improved education, engineering, sanitation, etc.)

* ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': The Imperial Republic of Falcrest, by its own words, never ''conquers'' anyone, because [[PragmaticVillainy military conquest breeds diseases and discontent, and is highly wasteful besides.]] Despite being the known world’s foremost naval power, Falcrest prefers slower but more efficient methods of economic and cultural domination: trade monopolies to seduce countries with wealth and render them economically dependent, schools to give foreign children high educations and indoctrinate them with Falcresti values, vaccinations prioritized to particular groups after first contact inevitably causes plagues... and while that's happening, Falcrest is destabilizing things behind the scenes to ''force'' people to give them room for those methods. WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs is discussed, as there's no way to separate the terrible things Falcrest does to its provinces (brutal laws, eugenics programs, suppression of native cultures, etc.) from the genuinely good ones (improved education, engineering, sanitation, etc.)

* ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': The Imperial Republic of Falcrest, by its own words, never ''conquers'' anyone, because [[PragmaticVillainy military conquest breeds diseases and discontent, and is highly wasteful besides.]] Despite being the known world’s foremost naval power, Falcrest prefers slower but more efficient methods of economic and cultural domination: trade monopolies to render countries economically dependent on them, schools and orphanages to indoctrinate foreign children with Falcresti values (and erase the values they grew up with), vaccinations prioritized to particular groups after first contact inevitably causes plagues... and while that's happening, Falcrest is destabilizing things behind the scenes to ''force'' people to give them room for those methods. WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs is discussed, as there's no way to separate the terrible things Falcrest does to its provinces (brutal laws, eugenics programs, suppression of native cultures, etc.) from the genuinely good ones (improved education, engineering, sanitation, etc.)

* ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': The Imperial Republic of Falcrest, by its own words, never ''conquers'' anyone, because [[PragmaticVillainy military conquest breeds diseases and discontent, and is highly wasteful besides.]] Despite being the known world’s foremost naval power, Falcrest prefers slower but more efficient methods of economic and cultural domination: trade monopolies to render countries economically dependent on them, schools and orphanages to indoctrinate foreign children with Falcresti values (and erase the values they grew up with), vaccinations prioritized to particular groups after first contact inevitably causes plagues... and while that's happening, Falcrest is destabilizing things behind the scenes to ''force'' people to give them room for those methods. WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs is discussed, as Falcrest's improvements to education, engineering, sanitation, and so on have genuinely improved living standards for its provinces, but at the cost of being controlled by Falcrest's draconian laws, obsession with eugenics, and active suppression of their native cultures.

* ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': The Imperial Republic of Falcrest, by its own words, never ''conquers'' anyone, because [[PragmaticVillainy military conquest breeds diseases and discontent, and is highly wasteful besides.]] Despite being the known world’s foremost naval power, Falcrest prefers slower but more efficient methods of economic and cultural domination: trade monopolies to render countries economically dependent on them, schools and orphanages to indoctrinate foreign children with Falcresti values (and erase the values they grew up with), vaccinations prioritized to particular groups after first contact inevitably causes plagues... and while that's happening, Falcrest is destabilizing things behind the scenes to ''force'' people to depend on them, making more room for those methods. WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs is discussed, as Falcrest's improvements to education, engineering, sanitation, and so on have genuinely improved living standards for its provinces, but at the cost of being controlled by Falcrest's draconian laws, obsession with eugenics, and active suppression of their native cultures.

* ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': The Imperial Republic of Falcrest, by its own words, never ''conquers'' anyone, because [[PragmaticVillainy military conquest breeds diseases and discontent, and is highly wasteful besides.]] Despite being the known world’s foremost naval power, Falcrest prefers slower but more efficient methods of economic and cultural domination: trade monopolies to render countries economically dependent on them, schools to indoctrinate foreign children with Falcresti values (and suppress their original cultures), vaccinations prioritized to particular groups after first contact inevitably causes plagues. And while that's happening, Falcrest is destabilizing things behind the scenes to ''force'' people to depend on them. WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs is discussed, as Falcrest's improvements to education, engineering, sanitation, and so on have genuinely improved living standards for its provinces, but at the cost of being controlled by Falcrest's draconian laws, obsession with eugenics, and refusal to tolerate any cultures or values that aren't its own.

* ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': The Imperial Republic of Falcrest, by its own words, never ''conquers'' anyone, because [[PragmaticVillainy military conquest breeds diseases and discontent, and is highly wasteful besides.]] Despite being the known world’s foremost naval power, Falcrest prefers slower but more efficient methods of economic and cultural domination: trade monopolies to render countries economically dependent on them, schools to indoctrinate foreign children with Falcresti values (and suppress their original cultures), vaccinations prioritized to particular groups after first contact inevitably causes plagues. And while that's happening, Falcrest is destabilizing things behind the scenes to ''force'' people to depend on them. At one point Baru visits a Falcresti TortureCellar in which no actual torture occurs, but plenty of operant conditioning and drugs to train "unhygienic" individuals like dogs into being model citizens. WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs is discussed, as Falcrest's improvements to education, engineering, sanitation, and so on have genuinely, significantly improved living standards for its provinces, but at the cost of their freedom to be anything other than what Falcrest says they can be.

* ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': The Imperial Republic of Falcrest, by its own words, never ''conquers'' anyone, because [[PragmaticVillainy military conquest breeds diseases and discontent, and is highly wasteful besides.]] Despite being the known world’s foremost naval power, the Masquerade (as its detractors name it) prefers slower but more efficient methods of economic and cultural domination. It seduces you with rich trade and greatly improved standards of living, then sucks your economy dry until you’re totally dependent. It gives all your children a high education, and also alienates them from their traditional culture to better wipe it out. Dissidents face not execution but enlistment as honeypots and double agents to catch other dissidents, kept in line with [[IHaveYourWife hostages]]. The Masquerade is a study in how soft power, used to conquer, can be no less horrifying than simple brute conquest.

* The United States of America counts as a contemporary example. Its many interventions in Latin America and the Middle East often result in regime changes of supposedly hostile or opposing leaders (particularly those who nationalize their industries); assassinations of rival world leaders; assisted coups that put the armed forces in power; installing of pro-US dictatorships; and establishing [[BananaRepublic puppet states to service American companies]]. Many countries in the world utilize the dollar, many American corporations have turned multinational, many American products have turned international (ala [=McDonalds=] in Japan, of all things), English is the third most spoken language in the world, and even NATO is often seen as a mere extension of US military might as opposed to an international coalition.

* The Cabal empire from {{Videogame/Destiny}} ''used'' to be this, if its emperor-in-exile Calus can be trusted. It used to be a more conventional [[TheEmpire militaristic empire]], but then Calus overthrew its stratocracy, crowned himself emperor, and (supposedly) ushered in a golden age. His policies included expansion by encouraging disparate cultures to mingle into a single smooth blend, using the military as a deterrent rather than a tool of conquest, and a life of abject hedonism for every citizen. Then Calus was overthrown in turn by his protégé Ghaul, who turned it back into a militaristic empire.

* Once they defeat the Goa'uld, Naruto's and Xanna's Celestial Empire in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10917821/1/The-questionable-burdens-of-leadership-of-a-troll-Emperor The (Questionable) Burdens of Leadership of a Troll Emperor]]'' pretty much goes around the galaxy (and eventually other galaxies) showing off their incredible technology and offering each planet the chance to join them with the only stipulation being that they have to follow the empire's laws (which are exceedingly liberal despite being a dictatorship). Though any place where they're likely to be rebuffed will see them take the planet over through subversion.

In more extreme cases, their cultural beliefs, values and perceptions will influence, manipulate and dominate the societies of a large number of states that might be "officially" beyond their reach on paper. Imposed as the societal norm, their culture is perceived as a universally valid ideology and status quo beneficial to all of society, symbolized by their language being one of the most commonly spoken in The Verse. A Hegemonic Empire isn't necessarily a PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny, but it could well be a rejuvenated empire, revived from a VestigialEmpire or TheRemnant, and essentially remaining the same as ever, just more subtle in its imperialism.

Whenever the Hegemonic Empire faces a situation where they have to get more hands-on (like the occupied territories), it's not just that the smaller countries are dealing with a Superpower in a direct, country to country struggle; the Superpower meddles in their affairs, corrupts and barters and plays with them, and just flat-out won't let them run themselves. The bureaucratic administration of a Hegemonic Empire can vary; it may be TheRepublic, TheFederation, TheGoodKingdom or even TheAlliance.

* Unlike its [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer40000}} far future counterpart]], TheEmpire in TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}} is ruled by a [[TheGoodKing genuinely benevolent]] [[TheEmperor Emperor]]. While there are times when bandits and rebellious lords have to get put down, the armies generally spend their time protecting the Empire from invasion by [[GrimUpNorth external]] [[OurOrcsAreDifferent forces]]. Life there is far from ''nice'', but it beats the Hell out of everywhere ''else'' in the setting, as you can generally find some sort of job, a place to live, and something vaguely resembling food. Just stay away from [[RodentsOfUnusualSize the sewers]] and avoid anyone with physical deformities or [[ReligionOfEvil unfamiliar iconography]].
** After all it is basically a fantasy version of the Holy Roman Empire.

** ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'' has three different types of "subject empire" and players can also form TheFederation with other empires, or be opposed by them.