The Post-American World

The Post-American World is a 2008 book by television journalist and commentator Fareed Zakaria. Its main thesis revolves around the multi-century dominance of Western powers, chiefly represented by the United States for most of the 20th century and into the 21st, and the idea of American Power in a Post-Hegemonic World. Zakaria argues that it is coming to an end and that non-Western powers—most notably China and India but also including South Africa, Indonesia, and Brazil—will start to play a much more prominent role in world affairs, especially as they take up an ever-greater percentage of global economic activity. The Diffusion of Global Power would not result in a “post-American” world in the sense of the US no longer being a major power; it would likely remain the most important state for the foreseeable future. However, in analyzing Modernization Versus Political Traditions, Zakaria concludes that the US will no longer have the luxury of defining the world in its image and expecting others to play by its rules. By the time of publication, Zakaria had established himself as a popular political commentator and host of a CNN news show; the book peaked at #2 on the New York Times Nonfiction Best Seller list. The book received generally positive views, especially for providing an accessible way to understand broad historical trends.

This guide refers to the “Release 2.0” edition published by Norton in 2011.

Summary

The book is divided into seven chapters, the first of which briefly outlines the thesis that “the rest” are well on their way to catching up with “the West.” This is predicted by Zakaria to be one of the most seismic changes in modern international history. In the second chapter, Zakaria writes how the relative decline of the West (and the United States) is largely a consequence of its own successes, having constructed an open and globalized economic system that has given much greater access to people who had been traditionally colonized or otherwise excluded.

Although the growth of aggregate global wealth and productivity has some very severe consequences, most notably climate change and other problems for the environment, the chief takeaway is that global capitalism works in pulling billions out of poverty and that cooperative international institutions have largely succeeded in creating a safer and more stable world. Threats like terrorism are real but far less dangerous than a hyperactive media would suggest.

In the third chapter, Zakaria notes how the process of modernization has long been viewed as synonymous with Westernization. He acknowledges that in many respects, a modern world will disrupt traditional mores, but this is not because of sinister Western operators, but rather the growth of popular sensibilities as more and more people are able to exercise power through spending their money. As non-Western nations grow in power, they will be able to put their own imprint on modernization, as states like Japan have been doing for decades. The Western powers will likewise have to adjust to a world in which they no longer rule the roost.

To illustrate these broad phenomena at work, Zakaria turns to the specific examples of China and India in the fourth and fifth chapters, respectively. China has utterly transformed itself in the last half century from an agrarian society thrown into the constant convulsions of Maoist orthodoxy into a thriving and well-respected member in good standing of the international community. Its rapid rise has alarmed many around the world, and it retains an authoritarian political model despite having embraced capitalism; nonetheless, Zakaria is confident that it will remember that a commitment to openness made it a major power. It will not go down the path of nationalism or belligerence and risk sacrificing what it has gained.

India’s political system is more beset by localism and a lack of innovation, but the extraordinary productivity of its population provides a key example of how civil societies are the driving force in global politics now rather than state bureaucracies. Zakaria hopes that India’s remarkable ethnic and religious diversity will give it an edge in a globalized world and that its various communities can learn to work together for their common benefit.

In the final pair of chapters, Zakaria turns to the United States, showing how the US still has what it takes to play a major and mostly positive role despite an inevitable decline in relative power. The US enjoyed so much power after the end of the Cold War that it has been tempted to act like an empire, especially after the trauma of the 9/11 attacks.

However, as the fact of a multipolar world becomes increasingly obvious, the US will have to rediscover the humility and willingness to cooperate that it showed at the height of its power, such as in the wake of World War II. Zakaria himself came to the United States as a teenager and was amazed by its dynamism and openness. He is confident that it can restore that entrepreneurial spirit and play a major role and that abandoning its hegemonic impulses may allow it to soar to new heights.