The concept of leadership in international relations and the historical evolution of its content
The article examines the theoretical foundations of the concept of "leadership" in international relations on the basis of the role of this category in the formation of the structure of the system of international relations, and draws parallels between the historical evolution of this structure and the history of the emergence and development of the notion of "leadership" as an important part of it, before the transformation into the concept of "hegemony." The specifics and peculiarities of the leadership position of the states on specific historical examples of subjects of international relations occupying a leading position are analyzed. Such examples include the great powers of the 19th century, the superpower of the 20th century and the hegemon of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Conclusions are made about the likely transformation of the leader's position in the near future due to the analysis of the contradictory influence of the current configuration of leadership on the state of the international system.