unusual set of assumptions is also required to reach a conclusion that a united Germany, as opposed to a united Europe will act as a major player in the multipolar political order of the twenty first century. Certainly, Germany could assume such a role, but there is no incontrovertible evidence that such a goal is being pursued by a united Germany.
Lastly, the belief that the United States will be first among equals in the new multipolar international order appears to be a short sighted conclusion at best. Such a conclusion conveniently overlooks the abysmal economic predicament which the United States created for itself in its largely successful effort to bankrupt the Soviet Union. While the United States is not on the verge of bankruptcy, its position is sufficiently severe as to dictate against it occupying the role of first among equals, and, if great care is not exercised, it might be required to, as is the case of the Soviet Union, rely on its powerful military capability to retain a leadership role.
3 The findings of this research are presented in three dis cussions, which follow. The first of these discussions deals with the bipolar international political environment, which has all but faded away, while the second discussion traces the transformation of the international political environment. The final discussion develops conclusions about the emerging multi polar international political order.
THE BIPOLAR INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT
Most western observers and analysts attribute the creation of the bipolar international political environment after the end of the Second World War to the actions of the Soviet Union under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, in the creation of cap tive states in Eastern Europe (McNamara, 1989). Certainly, these actions were one major cause of the so called Cold War, and of the development of the bipolar international political environment. The other major cause, howev...