Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower

In this stiff yet informative book, Beckley, an assistant professor of political science at Tufts University, challenges claims that the United States is a declining power soon to be overtaken by China. Rather, Beckley argues, the United States “will remain the world’s sole superpower for many decades, and probably throughout this century.” In Beckley’s view, commonly held theories about a coming U.S. decline fail to account for costs when measuring the wealth and military capabilities of nations. For example, gross domestic product does not deduct the costs associated with producing wealth and military capabilities, subsistence costs for the population, and nations’ internal security costs. In sharp and scholarly fashion, Beckley provides a valuable analytical framework for assessing the power of nations without ignoring countries’ liabilities. He then compares the results between the United States and China—the other main contender for superpower status—and demonstrates that China is far from overtaking the United States, as it is less economically efficient, possesses fewer natural resources, has higher production and welfare costs, endures high levels of domestic unrest and external territorial threats, and has vastly lower military capabilities. Though somewhat dry, this precise and proficient work will be much appreciated by scholars and policy makers. (Sept.)