The J Curve: A New Way to Understand Why Nations Rise and Fall

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

What Freakonomics does for understanding the economy, The J Curve does for better understanding how nations behave. Bremmer's tour of the nations of the world -- our friends, our foes, and others in between -- shows us how to see the world fresh, get rid of shopworn attitudes, and discover a new and useful way of thinking.

Reviews

"A rare book that manages to be intellectually ambitious, policy-relevant, and layman-friendly. Bremmer convincingly argues that smart American diplomacy, harnessing the forces of globalization, can induce closed societies to open up without falling apart. Timely, thoughtful, and written with verve and clarity, this is an impressive work of analysis and prescription."

-- Strobe Talbott, president of the Brookings Institution, former deputy secretary of state
"In one simple graphic, arguably the world's most pressing geopolitical challenge."

-- The Economist
"In The J Curve, Ian Bremmer (Tom Friedman with a Gladwellian streak) argues that nations follow a predictable path to democracy, one we should consider before invading them."

-- New York magazine
"The J Curve provides both policymakers and business strategists with an innovative set of conceptual tools for understanding political risk in rapidly changing societies, tools that integrate political, economic, and security perspectives in new and creative ways."

-- Francis Fukuyama, author of The End of History and the Last Man
"This book is a must-read, and not only for its insight into foreign policy. Individual institutions can be assessed on the J curve as well and their evolution similarly evaluated. A stunning analysis, notable for its depth, scope, and clarity."

-- Vinton G. Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist, Google
"Thought-provoking...a welcome return to strategies that offer a more sustainable path for the future."

-- James Steinberg, Austin-American Statesman

Author Bio

Ian Bremmer is president and founder of Eurasia Group, the worlds leading global research and consulting firm, and GZERO Media, a company dedicated to providing intelligent and engaging coverage of international affairs. Ian is also a frequent guest on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, the BBC, Bloomberg, and many other television stations around the world. Ian has published ten books, including theNew York TimesbestsellerUs vs.Them: The Failure of Globalismwhich examines the rise of populism across the world. He also serves as the foreign affairs columnist and editor at large forTimemagazine. He currently teaches at Columbia Universitys School of International and Public Affairs and previously was a professor at New York University.