Geopolitics and the Great Powers in the Twenty-first Century : Multipolarity and the revolution in strategic perspective

This book argues that in the twenty-first century Eastern Eurasia will replace Europe as the theatre of decision in international affairs, and that this new geographic and cultural context will have a strong influence on the future of world affairs. For half a millennium, the great powers have practised what might be called ‘world politics', yet during that time Europe, and small portions of the Near East and North Africa strategically vital to Europe, were the ‘centres of gravity'in international politics. This book argues that the ‘unipolar moment'of the post-Cold War era will not be replaced by a US-China ‘Cold War', but rather by a long period of multipolarity in the twenty-first century. Examining the policy goals and possible military-political strategies of several powers, this study explains how Washington may play a key role in eastern Eurasian affairs if it can learn to operate in a very different political context. Dale Walton also considers the rapid pace of technological change and how it will impact on great power politics. Considering India, China, the US, Russia, Japan, and other countries as part of a multipolar system, he addresses the central questions that will drive US policy in the coming decades. Geopolitics and the Great Powers in the 21st Century will be of interest to students of international security, military history, geopolitics, and international relations. This book argues that in the twenty-first century Eastern Eurasia will replace Europe as the theatre of decision in international affairs, and that this new geographic and cultural context will have a strong influence on the future of world affairs. For half a millennium, the great powers have practised what might be called world politics, yet during that time Europe, and small portions of the Near East and North Africa strategically vital to Europe, were the centres of gravity in international politics. This book argues that the unipolar moment of the post-Cold War era will not be replaced by a US-China Cold War, but rather by a long period of multipolarity in the twenty-first century. Examining the policy goals and possible military-political strategies of several powers, this study explains how Washington may play a key role in eastern Eurasian affairs if it can learn to operate in a very different political context. Dale Walton also considers the rapid pace of technological change and how it will impact on great power politics. Considering India, China, the US, Russia, Japan, and other countries as part of a multipolar system, he addresses the central questions that will drive US policy in the coming decades. Geopolitics and the Great Powers in the 21st Century will be of interest to students of international security, military history, geopolitics, and international relations. Humanities Book Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Acknowledgements 10 Introduction: New powers and old politics 12 1 Geopolitics in an uncertain world: The case for classical geopolitics 25 2 The geography of universal empire: The geopolitics of the Columbian Epoch 37 3 The Grand Casino reopens: Multipolarity and international politics 50 4 Leviathan slimming: Guarding American interests in a multipolar environment 61 5 Strategizing without a license: The non-state challenge to world order 83 6 Strategy 2.0: Great power competition in an era of technological revolution 99 Notes 119 Select bibliography 145 Index 149 Multipolarity and the Revolution in Strategic Perspective Argues that in the twenty-first century eastern Eurasia will replace Europe as the theatre of decision in international affairs. This book shows how this different geographic and (multi- ) cultural context will have a strong influence on the future of world affairs This new work argues that in the twenty-first century eastern Eurasia will replace Europe as the theatre of decision in international affairs. It shows how this different geographic and (multi-)cultural context will have a strong influence on the future o