"Toward a Universal Society and the United States Army" is a research thesis examining social and political theories relevant to defining the post-Cold War era operationally. Two prevailing schools of thought are examined; the school of pacific union and the school of international pessimism. This research has found a relevance for these theories in discussion of the post-Cold War era forecasting the development of a universal society of liberal democratic states. In opposition there still exist non-democratic states that impede upon the expansion of the pacific union of the liberal democratic states much in the way anticipated by international pessimism. Through analysis of these respective schools of thought this research has examined how this universal society is believed to occur. Also, the research has examined how the existence of non-democratic states affects the pacific union. The research concludes that this confrontation of liberal democratic and non-democratic states has played a key role in explaining the goals of U.S. National Security Strategy in the post-Cold War era. Also, it can assist in explaining a refocusing of military strategic objectives, roles and missions in the post-Cold War era to providing stabilization and support in pursuit of an emerging universal society.

ADA 332830 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)