The Post-American World, Fareed Zakaria, Norton, $25.95

Fareed Zakaria is feisty and immensely readable as he surveys the rise of the rest of the world
Almost immediately after America’s invasion of Iraq started to go horribly wrong, an exercise began to try and identify the new, emerging world order. Some have called it the age of non-polarity, with the United States now vying for influence with other countries, blocs and non-governmental organisations.
Others have spoken of a Second World, large swathes of territory around the globe over which the US, the European Union and China are waging bids for influence. Yet somehow, even with deepening perceptions of erosion in American power and purpose, these theses appear to underestimate America’s place in the world.

In talking of the post-American world, Fareed Zakaria presents a more plausible and credible portrait of the current order. As his opening line goes, “This is a book not about the decline of America but rather about the rise of everybody else.” Zakaria thereby sidesteps the pointless exercise of tabulating hierarchies and mapping the world by its nodes of power (pointless because it involves far too much speculation). Also, this way he expands on the intuitive point that diminishment of influence is as much a factor of momentum.
By Zakaria’s reckoning, the US is still not equalled by any country: “The United States occupies the top spot in the emerging system, but it is also the country that is most challenged by the new order. Most other great powers will see their role in the world expand. The process is already underway. China and India are becoming bigger players in their neighbourhoods and beyond. Russia has ended its post-Soviet accommodation and is becoming more forceful, even aggressive. Japan, though not a rising power, is now more willing to voice its views and positions to its neighbours. Europe acts on matters of trade and economics with immense strength and purpose. Brazil and Mexico are becoming more vocal on Latin American issues. South Africa has positioned itself as a leader of the African continent. All these countries are taking up more space in the international arena than they did before. For the United States, the arrow is pointing in the opposite direction.”