The Post-American World

How did the 2008 financial crisis appear to validate Zakaria’s thesis? Have there been other recent events since the book’s publication that either affirm or undermine its conclusions?

What are the basic structural forces that have helped shift global power from “the West” to “the rest?” What are the primary benefits of this development, and what are some of the most severe risks?

Are you convinced by Zakaria’s claim that the spread of Western culture is mostly a welcome development brought about by the support of peoples around the world? Is there an alternative explanation that he might be missing?

How does Zakaria describe the relationship between modernization and Westernization? What are some ways in which developing nations have been able to put their distinctive mark on the modernizing process or even influence the ways in which Western nations continue to modernize?

Compare and contrast the ways that Zakaria describes China and India. How are they similar and different with respect to the structural changes he describes? What does he predict for both countries, and what does he appear to wish for them on a personal level?

In the years since publication, China’s government has become increasingly authoritarian, and the BJP became the dominant party in India. How might Zakaria respond to these developments? Do they create problems for his thesis, or should they be treated as slight deviations from long-term trends?

Evaluate Zakaria’s claim that the United States has been, for the most part, a benign power for most of its history. What are the main pieces of evidence for and against this contention? How do you ultimately evaluate that claim?

Why does Zakaria choose to close the book with two chapters on American power? How are those chapters different, and what do you regard as the central lesson to be taken from them jointly?