Why You Should Read The Post-American World

"Generations from now, when historians write about these times, they might note that, in the early decades of the 21st Century, the United States succeeded in its great and historic mission - it globalized the world. But along the way, they might write, it forgot to globalize itself."

Thus Fareed Zakaria summarizes the central problem he describes at length in "The Post-American World." The book explains the rise of dozens of countries that are growing to challenge the political, economic and technological dominance of the United States. A rarity among political texts, the book is accessible and compelling, but not oversimplified or packed with hyperbolic hand-wringing. Even more rare, it actually offers serious, practical solutions.

Every leader - and every engaged citizen - should read "The Post-American World," a wonderful non-fiction page-turner. President Elect Barack Obama has already read it. On a side note, that is indirectly the reason I picked up the book. Someone forwarded an email with a photo of candidate Obama on an airport tarmac carrying the book and a caption about "a Muslim's view of a defeated America." The email employed the typical anti-Obama tactic of molding an ounce of truth into a pound of slander. Anyhow, I can only hope the email also encouraged others to read "The Post-American World."

Fareed Zakaria is consistently one of the most astute mind in modern politics. A native Indian who lives and works in the United States (offering insights, interviews and analysis for Newsweek, the Washington Post, CNN and others), he has both the perspective of the world's sole superpower and a serious emerging challenger.

Zakaria describes the rapid and unprecedented rise of countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa. They are all embracing the globalization, trade, free enterprise, immigration and democracy that the United States of America has been promoting for more than six decades.

Meanwhile, the U.S. political dialogue has become ever more domestically focused, just as the rest of the globe is looking outward. "Popular suspicions are fed and encouraged by an irresponsible national political culture in Washington," writes Zakaria. He goes on to blast the Bush administration for arrogant unilateralism, but also attacks Democrats for unilateral and backward policies on trade, immigration and terrorism. His blunt but fair summary: "Washington, D.C., has become a bubble, smug and out of touch with the world outside."

On the other hand, Fareed Zakaria highlights reasons for hope in the U.S. Despite a dysfunctional politics, the U.S. still leads the world in nanotechnology and biotechnology, the industries of the future. Furthermore, Fareed Zakaria argues quite convincingly that the U.S. has the best schools and universities in the world and a secret weapon no other country can match: a constant stream of eager immigrants.

So the solutions for the U.S. keeping up with the rest (but not necessarily continuing to dominate, as that may no longer be possible) are a fairly simple set of domestic policies, Zakaria argues: encourage savings, expand science and technology training, promote energy efficiency and reform immigration to protect both the nation and its vital industries.

In international relations, Fareed Zakaria also presents solutions that are eminently reasonable, but that represent a fundamental shift in thinking. First, the U.S. government must make priorities and choose specific goals for other countries. His best example is Iran, where the U.S. counterproductively tries to both overthrow the government and push the government to disarm. Particularly in a multipolar world, we can't have it all.

Just as important, the U.S. must help lead the world in creating a common set of policies for all countries rather than pursuing narrow self-interests. The U.S. must also engage positively with all world powers, rather than picking allies and enemies.

Finally, the U.S. must work to regain its legitimacy and respect on the world stage. Just knowing the U.S. helped form such a fertile, sharp mind as Zakaria's should help. Americans owe it to their country and the world to read "The Post-American World."