In “The End of the World Is Just the Beginning,” geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan takes an unsparing look at how and why globalization is unraveling. He offers readers a detailed map of tectonic economic, political, and social changes that are reshaping our world. Central to this analysis are two core truths: First, that global integration has peaked; second, that WEF’s Davos Manāthe apolitical globetrotter who prospered through liberalization and outsourcingāis toast. Zeihan starts by tracing the roots of globalization back to 1492 CE when Columbus sailed west in search for new markets only to find them across the ocean in China (and America). The ensuing centuries saw European powers overrun most of the Rest-of-the-World as they sought new commodities, slaves, land bases overseas ā culminating with Western domination of international finance after WWII. But now much has changed: population growth is slowing dramatically; countries everywhere have turned inward; transportation costs within many regions have surged making trade uncompetitive; oil production has plateaued ushering in an era of high energy prices which stunt economic growth… While it may seem like curtains for Davos Man globally speaking), all these seismic shifts bode well for countries that have the demographics (read: young, fast-growing populations), resources and.
For who is this book for ?
This book is for people who want to understand the current state of globalization and how it is unraveling. It provides readers with a detailed map of tectonic economic, political, and social changes that are reshaping our world.
Pros :
- The author provides great insights on the unraveling of globalization
- The book is well researched with lots of data and examples
- Zeihan has a clear writing style that makes complex concepts easy to understand
Cons :
- It is dense and may be difficult for some people to read.
- It focuses a great deal on economic changes, which may not be of interest to all readers.
- Zeihan’s predictions about the future could turn out to be inaccurate.
Learn more about the author
Peter Zeihan is a geopolitical strategist and the author of The Accidental Superpower: The Next Generation of American Preeminence and the Coming Global Disorder. A graduate of Swarthmore College, he has consulted for clients such as Coca-Cola, FedEx, GE Capital International Services, Honeywell/Allied Signal Aerospace Corporation, KBR Government Operations (formerly Kellogg Brown & Root), Michelin North America Inc., Microsoft Corporation’s Worldwide Public Sector Divisionāand PricewaterhouseCoopers on strategic issues related to world trade expansion and contraction; energy geopolitics; transportation infrastructure development in Africa; agricultural commodity production trends worldwide; water resource management across integrated borders including plans for desalination plants in Qatar and Saudi Arabia; and security issues in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Reader Reviews
“Peter Zeihan is one of the smartest geopolitical analysts in the world and in this book he foresees a very different future for globalization. He makes an absolutely compelling case that it has peaked and is now unraveling, with far-reaching implications for business, finance, and geopolitics. This is a must-read if you want to understand how the world works today.”
“Peter Zeihan’s The End of the World Is Just the Beginning is not just about ‘The Rest-of-the-World.’ It provides keen insights into how demographic, economic and political forces are remaking our world. This book should be essential reading for those looking to understand what lies ahead.”
“A must-read for understanding the new global realities.”
“This eye-opening book lays bare the tectonic geopolitical changes reshaping our world. Zeihan’s analysis is unsparing and his message clear: for businesses to survive and prosper in these turbulent times, they need a new playbook – one that takes into account an increasingly fractured global landscape.”
