ABSTRACT
When it comes to imagining the future of the global system, the trend lines are clear. We will, as the twenty-first century unfolds, witness the end of a brief and unusual period of unilateral power exercised by the United States. We will see the transition to a multipolar world, but one very unlike previous historical examples of such systems. We will witness a historical shift in power within the global system from West to East, but without necessarily seeing a corresponding shift in global engagement and leadership. It is also safe to assume that we will experience a major change in the very economic foundations of power, as technological innovation and the capacity of economies to adapt to different sources of energy supply in a post-fossil fuel age will be the key determinants.
