（全文见PDF版） 美国研究 季刊1997年第3期 AMERICAN STUDIES 第11卷9月5日出版 高处不胜寒王缉思( 7 ) ——冷战后美国的世界地位初探 论北约东扩刘靖华牛军姜义 (39) ——地缘政治与文明特性的双重分析 关于美国外贸逆差与外贸地位的思考宋玉华 (82) 均势理论反思何曜任晓 (104) ——兼论国际政治研究方法论 关于美国宪法第十四条修正案的三个理论问题崔之元 (121) ○书评 “管子工”眼中的冷战张小明(127) ——论《信赖——多勃雷宁回忆录》 现代化与美国史研究的新视角戴超武(143) ——评《美国现代化道路》 ○信息 “近百年来中美经济关系”学术讨论会综述陶文钊(149) 本刊被评为“外交、国际关系”类核心刊物(148) ○新书架(157) 编后(160) 本期责任编辑：赵梅 本杂志刊登的论文在美国Historical Abstracts and America: History and Life上登有摘要和索引。 编辑出版 中华美国学会 中国社会科学院美国研究所 照排中国社会科学院美国研究所 印刷装钉北京怀柔新华印刷厂 发行、订阅处中国社会科学院美国研究所 （100007北京张自忠路3号东院） Email: iascass@public.bta.net.cn 刊号 ISSN1002-8986CN11-1170／C 国外代号Q1122 国外发行中国国际图书贸易总公司北京399信箱 定价： 国内版5.00元 国际版3.00美元（邮费在外） AMERICAN STUDIES Fall 1997，Vol. 11, No. 3 ARTICLES LONELY AT THE TOP: A REASSESSMENT OF AMERICA'S POWER POSITION IN THE WORLD Wang Jisi(7) Contrary to some assessments in the late 1980s and early 1990s that the United States was declining, most hard figures to measure its present economic, technological, and military power indicate a strong U.S. position in the global competition among nations. America has shown a remarkable capacity to readjust to the post-Cold War conditions and to pioneer the information age. The most significant adjustment it has made is the refocusing of its national goal on sound economic growth and expansion of international markets while reducing its military commitments abroad. However, a variety of social problems at home are eroding America's national cohesion and damaging its international image. The trend of globalization, which appears to help Americans expand their influences, is a double-edged sword that also restrains their effort to exert a leadership role in world affairs. NATO EXPANSION VIEWED FROM A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE Liu Jinghua, Niu Jun, Jiang Yi (39) The paper tries to interpret the causes and impact of the eastward expansion of the NATO from the dual histro-cultural and geo-political perspective. It covers five parts: 1. The framework of theoretical analysis. In the current international relations, geo-political theory and the theory of civilizational features are combined to become the mainstream paradigm which is exercising ever increasing impacts on diplomacy; 2. The strategic choice of the West. It discusses the major grounds on which the major members of the NATO support its eastward expansion and their differences; 3; The United States and the eastward expansion of the NATO. The basic ideas of the United States concerning the post-Cold War period and its strategic considerations are the major motives behind U.S.'s support for the eastward expansion of the NATO; 4. The Russian factors in the expansion of the NATO. It discusses the basic stand and response of Russia and the in-depth causes for such a response; and 5. Eastern Europe and NATO eastward expansion. It discusses the major causes for the active response of Central and Eastern European countries. ON U.S. TRADE DEFICIT AND ITS FOREIGN TRADE STATUS Song Yuhua (82) U.S. deficit in foreign trade should be studied from the perspectives of its economic structure, the profound changes that take place in American role in international division of labor, the internationalization of American economy and the globalization of the world economy. The positive role trade deficit plays in American economy is often neglected. Thanks to the relative stability of American share in the world commodity trade, its continued edge in attracting foreign capital, its growing strength in international competition and its competitive edge in high technology trade, the U.S. will have a bright prospect for exports and continue to maintain its status as the world's No. 1 trading power. THOUGHTS ON THE THEORY OF BALANCE OF POWER He Yao, Ren Xiao (104) The theory of balance of power is an influential theory in international political science. In history, many statesmen and theoreticians tried to develop the policy of balance of power theory as well as in practice. There are still many who have faith in it. The author believes that balance of power is but one of the policy choices, not the absolute and the only one, nor is it the inevitable and only result in international political reality as Morgenthau maintains. Balance of power is the manifestation of a special form of imbalance of development. When power politics is still playing a role in real international politics, it is a policy to choose to use balance of power to protect national interest; however, it should not be absolutized and idealized as a pattern to maintain international law and order. The nature of balance of power itself determines that it will inevitably give rise to sharp conflicts of interest. For the international community, it is more important to preserve stability and development through contacts and cooperation and by seeking and expanding common interest. THERR THEORETICAL QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE 14TH AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION Cui Ziyuan (121) The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution has since its inception in 1868 played an important role in history. Almost all lawsuits of monumental importance in American economy, politics and culture were lodged and judged in light of this amendment. The author tries to discuss the theoretical questions from the perspective of relations between the central government and the local government, the pros and cons of judiciary dictatorship and equal protection as implied in the amendment. ACADEMIC NOTES COLD WAR IN THE EYES OF A PLUMBER — On “Inconfidence — Moscow's Ambassador to American Six Cold War Presidents, 1962-1986” Zhang Xiaoming(137) A NEW APPROACH IN THE STUDY OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND MODERNIZATION Dai Chaowu (143) Academic Activities A SEMINAR ON THE ECONOMIC RELATIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA IN THE LAST CENTURY Tao Wenzhao (149) NEW BOOKS(157) EDITOR'S NOTE(160) Articles appearing in this journal are abstracted and indexed in HISTORICAL ABSTRACTS and AMERICA: HISTORY AND LIFE. AMERICAN STUDIES, a quarterly, is published jointly by the Chinese Association for American Studies and the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The content of the articles in this journal should not be construed as reflecting the views of either the Association or the Institute.