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  • The Absent Superpower

  • The Shale Revolution and a World Without America
  • By: Peter Zeihan
  • Narrated by: Toby Sheets
  • Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (55 ratings)

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The Absent Superpower

By: Peter Zeihan
Narrated by: Toby Sheets
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Summary

The world is changing in ways most of us find incomprehensible. Terrorism spills out of the Middle East into Europe. Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, and Japan vie to see who can be most aggressive. Financial breakdown in Asia and Europe guts growth, challenging hard-won political stability.

Yet, for the Americans, these changes are fantastic. Alone among the world's powers, only the United States is geographically wealthy, demographically robust, and energy secure. That last piece - American energy security - is rapidly emerging as the most critical piece of the global picture.

The American shale revolution does more than sever the largest of the remaining ties that bind America's fate to the wider world. It re-industrializes the United States, accelerates the global order's breakdown, and triggers a series of wide ranging military conflicts that will shape the next two decades. The common theme? Just as the global economy tips into chaos, just as global energy becomes dangerous, just as the world really needs the Americans to be engaged, the United States will be...absent.

In 2014's The Accidental Superpower, geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan made the case that geographic, demographic, and energy trends were unravelling the global system. Zeihan takes the story a step further in The Absent Superpower, mapping out the threats and opportunities as the world descends into disorder.

©2016 Peter Zeihan (P)2017 Peter Zeihan
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Brilliant, insightful book

I found this to be a brilliant book which, explains the state of the world, explains the fundamental importance of oil in the world, and sets out the writer's compelling case for fundamental change in the world's order.

I had not realised that the origin of free trade was the USA's need for security post WW2. I hadn't realised the effect of shale oil on the USA's oil security. I hadn't realised that the USA could cut itself off from trade with the world without doing itself that much damage.

I strongly recommend this book for revealing the true state of the world, and the major changes which might occur in the near future. The narration is excellent too.

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I hope he's wrong about the UK's future

Easy going, I look forward to the preceding book. I now know to have a back up plan to move to France or the US

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Fascinating, if sobering, insights

Peter Zeihan has a grasp of global history, geography, politics and in particular energy economics that is very impressive. What makes this book so enjoyable is gently ironic tone of voice and punchy delivery, neither of which I’ve encountered before in anything this well researched. It’s a winning combination of expert and engaging.

If like me you enjoy history, geo politics, economics and/or need to see where the CEO political winds are blowing for business, you’ll find this a superb book.

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Thank You

Amazing book, I’m so glad people like Peter and Jordan Peterson exist! This should be studied in schools

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