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The Post-American World (精装)
by Fareed Zakaria
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AllReviews |
1 Total 1 pages 5 items |
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From The Washington Post (MSL quote), USA
<2008-09-23 00:00>
After the Iraq war, Fareed Zakaria argued in his Newsweek column that the world's new organizing principle was pro- or anti-Americanism. But as the Iraq muddle drags on and China rises, the larger story of the post-Cold War era has come into sharp relief: We are not the center of the universe. It matters less that particular countries are pro- or anti-American than that the world is increasingly non-American. We need to get over ourselves.
Zakaria's The Post-American World is about the "rise of the rest," a catchy phrase from one of the most widely cited writers on foreign affairs. His prism is correct: We should focus more on the "rest," even if America is still the premier superpower. But within this broad approach, Zakaria leaves policy-makers to figure out how to rank challenges and restore U.S. legitimacy.
Zakaria zooms in on Asia, especially India and China, which he uses as proxies for "the rest." The first third of the book sets out his thesis - "For the first time ever, we are witnessing genuinely global growth" - and the next third describes how China's economy has doubled every eight years and how India may have the world's third largest economy by 2040.
This year has brought a flood of books on Asia's rise, including Bill Emmott's Rivals and Kishore Mahbubani's The New Asian Hemisphere. For the most part, they embody the "world is flat" thesis - lots of economic statistics, little geography. But geopolitics is about more than growth rates. It matters that China borders a dozen more countries than India does, isn't hemmed in by a vast ocean and the world's tallest mountains, has a loyal diaspora twice the size of India's and enjoys a head start in Asian and African marketplaces. Zakaria's chapters on China and India, though of equal length, should not connote equivalency, and all "the rest" cannot be happily lumped together. Does China's example tell us what has gone wrong in Venezuela and Pakistan, and could go wrong in Egypt and Indonesia?
Ironically, the final third of The Post-American World, which focuses on us rather than on "the rest," is the strongest. Zakaria argues that America's world-beating economic vibrancy co-exists with a dysfunctional political system. "A 'can-do' country is now saddled with a 'do-nothing' political process, designed for partisan battle rather than problem solving," he writes. That makes it hard to devise a grand strategy, and Zakaria offers just a few "simple guidelines" on the need to set priorities, build global rules and be flexible. But in this non-American world, it may be too late to restore U.S. leadership. "The rest" is moving on.
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From Publishers Weekly (MSL quote), USA
<2008-09-23 00:00>
Starred Review. When a book proclaims that it is not about the decline of America but the rise of everyone else, readers might expect another diatribe about our dismal post-9/11 world. They are in for a pleasant surprise as Newsweek editor and popular pundit Zakaria (The Future of Freedom) delivers a stimulating, largely optimistic forecast of where the 21st century is heading. We are living in a peaceful era, he maintains; world violence peaked around 1990 and has plummeted to a record low. Burgeoning prosperity has spread to the developing world, raising standards of living in Brazil, India, China and Indonesia. Twenty years ago China discarded Soviet economics but not its politics, leading to a wildly effective, top-down, scorched-earth boom. Its political antithesis, India, also prospers while remaining a chaotic, inefficient democracy, as Indian elected officials are (generally) loathe to use the brutally efficient tactics that are the staple of Chinese governance. Paradoxically, India's greatest asset is its relative stability in the region; its officials take an unruly population for granted, while dissent produces paranoia in Chinese leaders. Zakaria predicts that despite its record of recent blunders at home and abroad, America will stay strong, buoyed by a stellar educational system and the influx of young immigrants, who give the U.S. a more youthful demographic than Europe and much of Asia whose workers support an increasing population of unproductive elderly. A lucid, thought-provoking appraisal of world affairs, this book will engage readers on both sides of the political spectrum. |
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Walter Isaacson(MSL quote), USA
<2008-09-23 00:00>
A definitive handbook for political and business leaders who want to succeed in a global era. |
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From a guest reviewer (MSL quote), USA
<2008-09-23 00:00>
The author presents a thoughtful analysis of our changing world. His wide ranging background adds depth to his discussion particulary in the the areas of the recent rapid changes in India and China that have so quickly impacted America. His advice to get used to our new position in the global market and social structure makes a whole lot of sense.
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From a guest reviewer (MSL quote), USA
<2008-09-23 00:00>
A very valuable read for all Americans. In this country, we generally understand less about the world than most other countries. Part of it is due to our sole "superpower" status. Most Americans speak only English. "Why should we learn about cultures - we're the top dog" goes the argument. Unfortunately this lack of understanding can hurt us economically which can ultimately lead to the decline of the our Empire (lets face it - there is a US Empire). Zakaria does readers a great service by teaching them about the forces and changes in the world. Through this understanding, we, through our government will be able to react to future world events (terrorism, economic disasters, etc...) in a more thoughtful and effective manner. If the citizens of the world's only superpower do not understand what is going on then fear will take over (as it has over the past 7 years thanks to the encouragement of the Bush administration). Fear will lead us to make poor decisions that will ultimately harm us more than the original insult. Whether we are liberal or conservative, therefore we owe it to ourselves to better understand the world around us.
Zakaria's 8 year old boy asked his Dad, " Why do you want to write a book about the future? If you're wrong, people won't buy the book anymore." A funny quote but it does not accurately describe Zakaria's book. He does not predict what will happen in the future. I don't believe anybody can predict the future. What he does do is make policy suggestions so that we can better control our destiny. In addition his insights and historical points are invaluable to readers. Highly recommended.
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1 Total 1 pages 5 items |
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