The sophomore book of New York Times Bestselling Author of The End of the World is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization. The world is changing in ways most of us find incomprehensible. Terrorism spills out of the Middle East into Europe. Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, and Japan vie to see who can be most aggressive. Financial breakdown in Asia and Europe guts growth, challenging hard-won political stability.
Yet, for the Americans, these changes are fantastic. Alone among the world's powers, only the United States is geographically wealthy, demographically robust, and energy secure. That last piece - American energy security - is rapidly emerging as the most critical piece of the global picture.
The American shale revolution does more than sever the largest of the remaining ties that bind America's fate to the wider world. It re-industrializes the United States, accelerates the global Order's breakdown, and triggers a series of wide ranging military conflicts that will shape the next two decades. The common theme? Just as the global economy tips into chaos, just as global energy becomes dangerous, just as the world really needs the Americans to be engaged, the United States will be...absent.
In 2014's The Accidental Superpower , geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan made the case that geographic, demographic, and energy trends were unravelling the global system. Zeihan takes the story a step further in The Absent Superpower , mapping out Russian aggression in Europe - starting with an invasion of Ukraine - and a world where an increasingly energy independent United States avoids the pitfalls of Europe and Asia's dependence on imported oil.
Review
"Peter Zeihan has written a smart, well-crafted page-turner that lays out the compelling reasons why America's role in the world has changed--and why that's good news for Americans and sobering for everyone else. His vivid account of the impact of America's good fortune for the rest of the world makes this an original and invaluable read." -- Ian Bremmer, Eurasia Group
"Zeihan follows his groundbreaking analysis of the post-WWII global geopolitical and economic system in Accidental Superpower with a projection of what might happen whenthe U.S., because of its new energy security and dynamic economy based on the shale revolution, withdraws from its principle role as security guarantor of the global order. Peter builds on prodigious objective demographic, energy,economic and geopolitical indicators to frame provocative scenarios based onthe impact of an American inward focus to the exclusion of international order. Delivered with his trademark irreverent wit, this book should be a must readfor public and private leaders alike. If President Trump has but one book to read as he assumes command, it should be this one." -- Honorable Dave McCurdy, Memberof U.S. House of Representatives (D - Ok, 1981-1995), served as chairman of theHouse Intelligence Committee during the breakup of the Soviet Union and throughoutOperation Desert Storm. President and CEO of the American Gas Association.
" TheAbsent Superpower is a must-read to understand the forces that will shapegeopolitics and potentially ignite decades of global disorder. By dissectingthe technological and geographic realities of energy and demography, Zeihan forecasts theconflicts and economic realignments that will follow America's withdrawal fromactive global leadership." -- Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts and Republican presidential candidate
About the Author
Peter Zeihan is a geopolitical strategist and the founder of the consulting firm Zeihan on Geopolitics. His clients include energy corporations, financial institutions, business associations, agricultural interests, universities, and the U.S. military. He is the author of The Accidental Superpower , The Absent Superpower , Disunited Nations, and The End of the World Is Just the Beginning. He lives in Colorado.
Description:
The sophomore book of New York Times Bestselling Author of The End of the World is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization.
The world is changing in ways most of us find incomprehensible. Terrorism spills out of the Middle East into Europe. Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, and Japan vie to see who can be most aggressive. Financial breakdown in Asia and Europe guts growth, challenging hard-won political stability.
Yet, for the Americans, these changes are fantastic. Alone among the world's powers, only the United States is geographically wealthy, demographically robust, and energy secure. That last piece - American energy security - is rapidly emerging as the most critical piece of the global picture.
The American shale revolution does more than sever the largest of the remaining ties that bind America's fate to the wider world. It re-industrializes the United States, accelerates the global Order's breakdown, and triggers a series of wide ranging military conflicts that will shape the next two decades. The common theme? Just as the global economy tips into chaos, just as global energy becomes dangerous, just as the world really needs the Americans to be engaged, the United States will be...absent.
In 2014's The Accidental Superpower , geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan made the case that geographic, demographic, and energy trends were unravelling the global system. Zeihan takes the story a step further in The Absent Superpower , mapping out Russian aggression in Europe - starting with an invasion of Ukraine - and a world where an increasingly energy independent United States avoids the pitfalls of Europe and Asia's dependence on imported oil.
Review
"Peter Zeihan has written a smart, well-crafted page-turner that lays out the compelling reasons why America's role in the world has changed--and why that's good news for Americans and sobering for everyone else. His vivid account of the impact of America's good fortune for the rest of the world makes this an original and invaluable read." -- Ian Bremmer, Eurasia Group
"Zeihan follows his groundbreaking analysis of the post-WWII global geopolitical and economic system in Accidental Superpower with a projection of what might happen whenthe U.S., because of its new energy security and dynamic economy based on the shale revolution, withdraws from its principle role as security guarantor of the global order. Peter builds on prodigious objective demographic, energy,economic and geopolitical indicators to frame provocative scenarios based onthe impact of an American inward focus to the exclusion of international order. Delivered with his trademark irreverent wit, this book should be a must readfor public and private leaders alike. If President Trump has but one book to read as he assumes command, it should be this one." -- Honorable Dave McCurdy, Memberof U.S. House of Representatives (D - Ok, 1981-1995), served as chairman of theHouse Intelligence Committee during the breakup of the Soviet Union and throughoutOperation Desert Storm. President and CEO of the American Gas Association.
" TheAbsent Superpower is a must-read to understand the forces that will shapegeopolitics and potentially ignite decades of global disorder. By dissectingthe technological and geographic realities of energy and demography, Zeihan forecasts theconflicts and economic realignments that will follow America's withdrawal fromactive global leadership." -- Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts and Republican presidential candidate
About the Author
Peter Zeihan is a geopolitical strategist and the founder of the consulting firm Zeihan on Geopolitics. His clients include energy corporations, financial institutions, business associations, agricultural interests, universities, and the U.S. military. He is the author of The Accidental Superpower , The Absent Superpower , Disunited Nations, and The End of the World Is Just the Beginning. He lives in Colorado.