The Post-American World

Last Book Read - The Post American World - Fareed Zakaria

The Post-American World is a book that might be more relevant now than when it was published in 2008. Here Fareed Zakaria provides an excellent explanation of whats happening internationally as globalism causes a major historical shift. This is the third major shift in the last 500 years, beginning with the rise of the west, followed by the rise of America, and now "the rise of the rest." As the rest of the world emerges as global players, the U.S. will lose part of its share in global economics and influence. We won't necessarily decline, but the rest of the world is catching up to us. Zakaria explains how we have gone from a multi-polar world, with many European superpowers to a bi-polar world of the Cold War, to a unipolar world of U.S. domination, and now to a uni-multipolar world. The U.S. will still remain the only superpower, and the only dominate military force, but many other countries, notably China and India, will have economic and political influence and power in all other areas. These countries will grow faster than America, although we we still gain faster than Europe, and areas like the Middle East will remain stagnant. We invented and promoted capitalism, and now the rest of the world has joined in the game, raising their own standards, and becoming our competitors.

The world has been propelled into modernity for 300 years by a liberal hegemony, a postion we inherited from the British Empire. While Zakaria points out the modern world is not synonymous with the Western World, we have spread our culture more than any other in history. English has become the common international language, and style of dress, music , and many other things from America have come to represent the standard.

In discussing the end of our uni-polar world, this book also details the decline of global respect and attitudes towards America because of the diplomatic arrogance of the last American administration. This has contributed to the "America problem." Since 1990 the U.S. had unrestricted potential. But, we "blew it." "Washington played this hand badly. America has had a period of unparalleled influence. What does it have to show for it?"

Zakaria reveals comparisons between the current state of American imperialism with the British Empire at the end of the Nineteenth century. At the point the British entered into the Boer Wars, they began to seal their decline. Similarly, America is now facing a similar situation following the war in Iraq. Zakaria argues that the even though we are over-extending ourselves economic, just as the British did, we are in a much stronger position and our economy is "likely to slip, but not significantly". However, given the unpredictable economic decline seen over the last twelve months, I find his predictions overly optimistic. But, his historic lessons are well noted, and if properly taken into advisement, can help avoid history from "happening again." Zakaria speculates that future historians, writing about events now will say "the United States succeeded in its great and historic mission - it globalized the world. But along the way, it forgot to globalize itself."