The Second World: Empires and Influence in the New Global Order

Parag Khanna of the New America Foundation draws his inspiration from Arnold Toynbee's 12-volume history of the world. Toynbee wrote his books first, and then embarked on a trip around the world to check the acurracy of his work. Khanna, however, did it the other way around: he spent two years travelling to forty countries, talking to people and getting a first-hand look at the facts on the ground, then writing this book. The result makes this volume a very pleasurable read, mixing policy recommendations, historical analysis, and traveller's eye for local color.Khanna argues that there will be three superpowers in the 21st century - China, the European Union, and the United States. He sometimes calls them empires as in the subtitle of the book, but that term is confusing since the Big Three will not resemble the empires of old. These superpowers will have their own unique approach for extending their power and influence. The main objectives of the Big Three are essentially the same: they want to be in the good graces of energy- and resource-rich second-tier countries such as those of the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Khanna calls this the second world. And as more and more countries become nuclear, military muscle becomes less of a tool. The superpowers are developing non-military means to win allies and influence. According to Khanna, winning in the 21st century will not take place in the battlefield but in the geopolitical marketplace.Of the three, Khanna finds the European model the most attractive. The European practice of offering the prospect of membership in the world's richest market is a very powerful incentive for countries to reform themselves and comply with EU standards. Europe has successfully assimilated many countries on its periphery. Khanna, however, glosses over Europe's problems, such as an ageing population and unassimilated minorities.Khanna also speaks glowingly of the rising influence of China. By the shear thrust of their economic growth, China has been able to buy friends and influence in the second world. And with their indifference to human rights, they acquire some very unsavory friends. This practice however, is now backfiring as people everywhere are rallying for Tibetans as the Olympics approach. Khanna's praise for "Asian values" amounts to accepting enlightened despotism.The most scorn, however, is reserved for the United States. With the war in Iraq in its fifth year, America is starting to look like an overstretched empire and an object of global resentment. He excoriates America for neglecting its poor as well as its physical and financial health. This may hold some truth at the present, but Khanna has forgotten that America is resilient and has a great capacity to renew itself.Critics of Khanna, however, should not write him off as anti-American or a pessimist. At the end of the book, he has a long list of recommendations for transforming the military-industrial complex into a diplomatic-industrial complex. He would like to see the resources that we now invest in the Pentagon go to the State Department. A new muscular foreign service is needed to further American interests and make globalization work for us. If this book sounds like it's written by an international relations graduate student, that's because it is.

Even though this book was published in 2009(the paperback edition), it is already somewhat out of date. Recent events in Europe show that the EU for the foreseeable future will not expand. In fact, the debate is whether the EU can exist in it's current form, or whether or not it's two essential members, France and Germany decide to abandon it.I felt that his analysis of the countries that I have lived in or visited seemed to be mostly accurate. I did however not some minor factual errors. He states that Argentina has the highest per capita concentration of psychiatrists, when that distinction belongs to Argentina's neighbor Uruguay. In addition, he states that there are ten million foreign workers in Saud Arabia. I used to work in Saudi Arabia and know that the Saudi government seldom realizes population numbers, so any number would be a guess. That being said, I have never seen such a high estimate for the Saudi foreign workforce.I agree with others that Mr. Khanna downplays the internal problems of both China and the EU while overplaying those of the United States. As others have stated Europe will be faced with an extreme demographic disaster. Countries like the UK, France and Germany are experiencing massive immigration plus high birthrates for the members of these immigrant groups. Europe's failure to successfully integrate these populations (even though some are third generation) will continue to become a much larger problem.In regards to China, he fails to mention that civil unrest appears to be on the rise in China. Protests are now so common that they almost seem uncountable. In addition, as more and more Chinese travel outside of China, they will certainly see more "free" societies and desire to have such freedoms implemented in their own countries.While according to the GINI coefficient inequality in the United States has been steadily growing for the last several decades, Mr. Khanna fails to mention that crime has fallen dramatically in the United States since the early 90's. While there are several factors that account for this decrease in crime, is once again seems to show "American Exceptional ism." Mr. Khanna also fails to see that the growing population of the United States, it's geographical advantages and relatively low income tax rate could contribute to a brighter future.

The young Mr Khanna spent some time traveling around the world hanging out with NGO workers and CEOs. The book is broken down into mini-chapters where Mr Khanna then regales us with his startling insights into these various countries and regions whilst stitching it together with journalistic type academic treatise on the `second world' and its relative importance for the world's three empires: China, the US and the EU.Like many of these kinds of books, often coming out of the US, this is little more than travelogue, basic and almost common-sensical truisms and journalistic type sound bites. Mr Khanna's thesis is hardly original. Within the International Relations type literature there's a whole swathe called `world systems theory' that posits the centrality of what is termed the `semi-periphery' and its importance to hegemonic powers. If you want Economist type sound bites coupled with PhD student level insights get this book. The book has Khanna's mate, Blair's favorite foreign policy sound bite machine Mark Leonard on the back saying nice things. That should tell you all you need. Save your money for something a little more insightful.

Thank you