The Post-American World uncovers the position that the United States finds itself in regards to the existing and upcoming superpowers. ?The rise of the rest,? as it?s referred to, is a worrisome prospect for Washington as it garners a lessening importance on the world?s stage. ?America is still the single most important country on the globe, able to exercise influence in every realm and on every continent in a way that no other major power can. It remains?the default superpower? (pg. xxvi). Though the United States will retain this title for the time being, Zakaria explores the effects that such countries as China and India have had on degrading this title. As these countries grow economically and politically, they are inevitably challenging Washington?s role. In this book Zakaria explores the reasons behind the power loss and suggests how the United States might retain/alter its role. Zakaria utilizes historical frameworks and comparisons to provide evidence for his reasoning. The author of the book is Fareed Zakaria, who is also the author of another New York Times bestseller, The Future of Freedom. In addition to being an esteemed author, Zakaria hosts a show on CNN called Fareed Zakaria GPS and is the editor of International Newsweek. The book was published by W. W. Norton and Company and was copyrighted in 2008. The book retails for $15.95 and can be found under the ISBN 978-0-393-33480-7.
?We still think of a world in which a rising power must choose between two stark options: integrate into the Western order, or reject it, becoming a rogue nation and facing the penalties of excommunication. In fact, rising powers appear to be following a third: entering the Western order, but doing so on their own terms? (pg. 36). Zakaria?s purpose in writing this book is to inform the general public about what the ?rise of the rest? actually means to the United States. He aims to educate the reader about how, as a nation, we should respond to the new global allocation of power. He also subtly impresses upon the reader the importance of learning from history. Zakaria?s knowledge of history allows him to expertly compare such military endeavors as the war in Iraq to the 1899 Boer War. ?The analogy is obvious; the United States is Britain, the Iraq War is the Boer War? The familiar theme of imperial decline is playing itself out one more time? (pg. 173). Zakaria does not seek to attack the United States or China?s foreign or domestic policy, but objectively shows the reader what the post-American world will resemble when, ??everyone feels empowered (and) can choose to bypass (the) Western ?center? entirely and forge their own ties with one another? (pg. 36). Zakaria effectively uses a conversational tone that allows him to transition from history to personal stories without distancing the reader. The structure of the book is arranged in a logical manner. It allows the reader to follow and grasp the main concept of the declining power of the United States, before delving into historical and future outlooks on the prospects of the United States and China. He concludes by giving us a personal, introspective look into just where his opinions stand.
One of Zakaria?s greatest achievements comes from his description of the areas where the United States still remains number one in the world. ??Economists used to discuss two basic concepts, capital and labor. But these are now commodities, widely available to everyone. What distinguishes economies today are ideas and energy. A country must be a source of either ideas or energy. The United States has been and can be the world?s most important, continuing source of new ideas, big and small, technical and creative, economic and political? (pg. 210). Zakaria discusses the innovative and entrepreneurial nature of the United States, as being something unmatched in the world. It is mentioned that the United States higher education system is our country?s ?best industry.? Understanding that this industry is our source of competitive advantage, allows the reader to understand two of our main competencies as a nation. Our educational system attracts foreign talent which is then retained. Though Silicon Valley?s can be found throughout the world, the United States undoubtedly has the most. The power of the United States to retain the world?s most innovative people is unmatched. This feeds into its ability to be demographically vibrant. The great demographics of the United States create a system for more technological, scientific, and managerial advances. Understanding these competencies of the United States gives readers a more full understanding of how the United States has been able to maintain dominance in the world.
Another area where Zakaria achieves distinction is in his historical frame of reference that he gives the reader. This is seen in his discussion of how the West has become synonymous with modernity. ?Modernity has come with the rise of the West, and so it has taken a Western face. But as the modern world expands and embraces more of the globe, modernity becomes a melting pot? (pg. 85-86). By tying this concept to the world and then more specifically to China, the reader can better understand China?s rise. Allowing the readers to first gain an understanding of how the power came to the West and describing the ?ruthlessly pragmatic? path that China has chosen, the stunning economic growth rate that China has achieved becomes more understandable. Just as modernity was defined by western practices, it is now being redefined by eastern advances.
The Relevance of the Post-American World
The true relevance of Post-American World comes in its discussion of China/United States relations. ?Just how peacefully China can rise will be determined by a combination of Chinese actions, other countries reactions, and the systemic effects that this interaction produces. Given its current size, China cannot hope to slip onto the word stage unnoticed. Its search for energy and raw materials, for example, is entirely understandable? (pg. 115). It is inevitable that as China continues is rise to prominence that countries will begin to turn to China and the world will become more easterly centric. As countries gain more of an economic and geopolitical stake on the world?s stage, countries will rely less on the United States as a parent country. As these economic powerhouses gain a stronger role in the world order, the role of mediator will arise for the United States. ??These rivalries do give the United States an opportunity to play a large and constructive role at the center of the global order. It has the potential to be what Bismarck helped Germany become in the late nineteenth century- Europe?s honest broker? (pg. 233).
Zakaria is not shy in expressing his thoughts on how the United States should cope with the changing global environment. He excels at the end of the book by discussing his position. The reader is able to formulate their own opinion before Zakaria expresses his own. By breaking his thoughts into six points about how the United States must act in this new era, he allows the reader to gain a firm understanding of his remedy. His six points are as follows: the United States must now prioritize and choose between what it wants, create a structure of rules, practices and values that it and the world will follow, engage all the worlds powers without exclusion, address problems with a smaller scale mentality, think asymmetrically and don?t over respond to baiting, and lastly, re-legitimize the power of the United States through its ideals.
This book also serves a unique purpose to pose the reasoning behind recent changes of countries with new emerging economies. Whether due to lacking economies or military prowess, countries have historically turned to the United States for conflict resolution and protection. ?They all believed in the glory of their own cultures. But they also believed that at that moment in history, in order to succeed economically, politically, and militarily, they had to borrow from the West? (pg. 73). Zakaria exposes the change in this ideology. As these countries have developed sustaining markets and greater political stability, they are finding less of a reason rely on the United States. This is happening across the globe and it greatly impacts our role in the world. This is a key point that Zakaria expresses throughout the book.
Where Zakaria Excels
Perhaps the place where Zakaria provides his greatest insight is in the seventh chapter, American Purpose. Building off his analysis of the United States emerging role as the ?honest broker,? he pointedly discusses the new position as a nontraditional superpower. He suggests that the United States create a precedent of one that consults, cooperates, and compromises with foreign countries. ??It is a crucial role because, in a world with many players, setting the agenda and organizing coalitions become primary forms of power. The chair of the board who can gently guide a group of independent directors is still a very powerful person? (pg. 233). Zakaria excels in explaining how the United States must assume this role. This is expressed through his comparison between Britain in its ?heyday? and the current United States.
Zakaria uses historical comparisons in order to give the reader a more relatable understanding of the current global positions. He is extremely effective in the analogies that he makes and provides the readers with a relatable reference. This serves as an extremely effective tool to highlight his reasoning. Britain at the peak of its empire was subject to a power struggle by the United States and Germany. For Britain, it was a question of how it could compete with countries that were over twice its size and were rich in natural resources. ?Early on, as it saw the balance of power shifting, London made one critical decision that extended its influence by decades: it chose to accommodate itself to the rise of America rather than to contest it? (pg. 177). The United States today finds itself competing with a domineering economy and a country of over a billion people. Zakaria excels in highlighting this comparison to pose the idea that the United States must accommodate the ?rise of the rest? instead of undermine it.
Where Zakaria Falls Short
Zakaria?s goal of the book was to discuss the choices that the United States has in sustaining itself through the ?rise of the rest.? This was largely addressed through the constant discussion and comparison between the United States and China. Zakaria centers the book on the current and historical comparison of these two countries. Though India represents a major stakeholder in the world today, I found it odd that chapter five was almost exclusively about India. Early in the chapter Zakaria poses the question of whether or not India will become the next China. He simply states that, ?Western businessmen go to India expecting it to be the next China. It never will be that? (pg. 133). Personally, this statement gave the chapter less importance. Zakaria came to the conclusion that India is essentially a poor version of the United States.
In addition to the chapter ?The Ally,? I found the section on ?God and Foreign Policy? in chapter four to be meaningless. Zakaria attempts to bring relevance to the section by stating such points as, ??one quickly recognizes that concepts like qi are as central to their mind-set as a moral Creator or free will is to Westerners? (pg. 113). These comparisons don?t aid in the understanding of the rise of China. In my opinion, the section didn?t serve more of purpose than to mention that the Chinese outlook on foreign policy is a culmination of different ideas than that of the West. Personally, there were sections scattered throughout the book that were merely informative and should have been omitted.
Though I found Zakaria?s final discussion of his six recommendations for the United States incredibly insightful, I was still left unsatisfied for certain questions posed throughout the book. Typically in the closing of each chapter, he would pose a series of questions, such as, ?Can Washington adjust and adapt in a world in which others have moved up? Can it respond to shifts in economic and political power?? (pg. 214). He intends for the reader to formulate their own opinion, but the information is too shallow to come to a definitive conclusion. It would be more beneficial to the reader to judge the validity of Zakaria?s conclusions for each section based on his information presented. Instead, I was left pondering these questions as he jumped into the next subject.
Conclusion and Recommendation
The Post-American World truly reveals to readers the need for the United States to adjust to the ?rise of the rest.? Readers can take Zakaria?s recommendations and make their own judgments. What is clear from this book is that the world around us is changing. This book stresses the need for the United States to be more accommodating and accept its declining role of worldwide ruler. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking to gain a scholarly perspective on the changing paradigm of global control. This book has personally created a new drive to educate myself on the constantly changing layout of global power and changes to American foreign policy. The ?rise of the rest? is an issue that will define our generation, not only in business, but in culture. I would challenge Zakaria?s recommendations on the concern that these changes would mean a massive overhaul of the current foreign policy of the United States. Whether these recommendations are feasible or not, one thing is clear, that the United States must adapt. ?There is only so much America can do about its relative power. As others grow from low starting points, its relative weight will slip. But there is a great deal that Washington can do to redefine America?s purpose? (pg. 219).
Source: http://bradytravelschina.blogspot.com/2011/06/book-review-post-american-world.html
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