The Next Decade (book)
Encyclopedia
The Next Decade, by George Friedman
, is primarily about the United States
' relationships with other countries. The book also discusses the paradox of "the empire
and the republic
", and addresses some demographic
, technological
, and economic
issues, primarily those that will affect the 2010s
.
The main theme of the book is how the American administrations of the next ten years will need to create regional power balances, some of which have been disturbed. Friedman conceptualizes America's successful management of world affairs not by directly enforcing countries, but by creating competing relationships, which offset one another, in the world's different regions. For example, in the past, Iraq balanced Iran, and currently Japan balances China and crucially important, Poland balances Germany and Russia. Friedman asserts this is the decade where the US as a power must mature to manage it's power and balance as an unintended empire and republic.
George Friedman
George Friedman is an American political scientist and author. He is the founder, chief intelligence officer, financial overseer, and CEO of the private intelligence corporation Stratfor...
, is primarily about the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' relationships with other countries. The book also discusses the paradox of "the empire
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
and the republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
", and addresses some demographic
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
, technological
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, and economic
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
issues, primarily those that will affect the 2010s
2010s
The 2010s, pronounced "twenty-tens" or "two thousand tens", is the current decade which began on January 1, 2010 and will end on December 31, 2019...
.
The main theme of the book is how the American administrations of the next ten years will need to create regional power balances, some of which have been disturbed. Friedman conceptualizes America's successful management of world affairs not by directly enforcing countries, but by creating competing relationships, which offset one another, in the world's different regions. For example, in the past, Iraq balanced Iran, and currently Japan balances China and crucially important, Poland balances Germany and Russia. Friedman asserts this is the decade where the US as a power must mature to manage it's power and balance as an unintended empire and republic.