WHO WILL BECOME THE NEXT HEGEMON?

The ineptness with which the U.S. has coped with the COVID 19 pandemic, as compared to the other major powers, has probably caused us to concede the status of world hegemon to another power.  At this point in time, the two most likely candidates are Russia and  China.  Because they share a border, to avoid devastation to their own neighborhood, they may decide to fight proxy wars over the carcass of the old hegemon.