Follies of Power America's Unipolar Fantasy [Paperback]

The book discusses the dangers of the 'unipolar view' of world politics, one in which the United States is overwhelmingly predominant and should act accordingly.The book discusses the dangers of the unipolar view of world politics, one in which the United States is overwhelmingly predominant and should act accordingly. The book notes the damage caused by this view in action  as in the Middle East and Europe. It assesses the real strengths and weaknesses of American power  soft, military, economic, and moral. It contrasts the federal systems of Old America and New Europe as models for governing todays increasingly plural system. It notes how friendly balancing from Europe is critical for maintaining Americas own constitutional equilibrium.The book discusses the dangers of the unipolar view of world politics, one in which the United States is overwhelmingly predominant and should act accordingly. The book notes the damage caused by this view in action  as in the Middle East and Europe. It assesses the real strengths and weaknesses of American power  soft, military, economic, and moral. It contrasts the federal systems of Old America and New Europe as models for governing todays increasingly plural system. It notes how friendly balancing from Europe is critical for maintaining Americas own constitutional equilibrium.The imagination of Americas political elites is dominated by a unipolar vision, according to which the world is dominated by the United States. But the real world is increasingly plural, and others instinctively fear and resist the American vision. Chapters 2 and 3 of this book look at the disastrous consequences of the vision at work  in the Middle East and in Europe. Chapters 4, 5, and 6 assess the limits of American power  soft military, economic, and moral. Chapter 7 discusses the problems of order and coexistence in a world that is not unipolar but increasingly plural. It speculates on the possible contributions and likely falÃE