So what after the end of America's economic hegemony?

The New Yorker's always compelling Editor-at-Large Ian Buruma wonders what we should expect in terms of global geopolitics after the inevitable decline of America's Empire. Several recently published books on the topic, written by authors who represent a considerably wide range of the political-philosophical spectrum, are used effectively as an analytic backdrop.

I say "inevitable" here, of course, not because I have any hidden desire to see the end of our reign as superpower of the world forever, but because no empire has ever lasted forever and there are compelling reasons, expounded on in the article, to see why the US could soon be succeeded by China, India and Russia as the next global economic hegemon.