ABSTRACT
Zakaria's thesis is that the United States must adapt to a world in which it is no longer able to enjoy the privileges of being the sole superpower but must now contend with the “rise of the rest.” This thesis depends critically on the continued rise of China. Without it, the case for a tectonic “global shift” is much less, perhaps fatally less, compelling. This chapter analyzes the factors behind China's rise, the likelihood they will continue, and their consequences.
