a) The basic idea behind the given cartoon is the representation of the influence of the dollar and in turn of the United States as the largest economy on the rest of the world. In spite of the various problems, the dollar has remained as the preferred and effective medium of exchange in the world market and dominates the international transactions of the world.

b) Hegemony by definition the social, cultural, ideological, and/or economic influence exerted by a dominant group. The given cartoon being a representation of the dominance of the US dollar on the world economy depicts this influence in a literal and figurative manner, thereby explaining the nature of hegemony.

c) Hegemony can be expressed in a variety of ways. Dominance of superpowers like the US on the grounds of its ability to create and support the existence of economic models and structures refers to the structural power of hegemony. In the case of the United States, two examples include –

• In the world economy it provides global public goods like sea lanes of communication (SLOCs) which are utilized by other merchant ships. The US Navy ensures freedom of navigation in international waters.

• Internet was a result of US military research but is now a global public good.