From Robert D. Kaplan, named one of the world's Top 100 Global
Thinkers by "Foreign Policy" magazine, comes a penetrating look at
the volatile region that will dominate the future of geopolitical
conflict.
Over the last decade, the center of world power has been quietly
shifting from Europe to Asia. With oil reserves of several billion
barrels, an estimated nine hundred trillion cubic feet of natural
gas, and several centuries' worth of competing territorial claims,
the South China Sea in particular is a simmering pot of potential
conflict. The underreported military buildup in the area where the
Western Pacific meets the Indian Ocean means that it will likely be
a hinge point for global war and peace for the foreseeable future.
In "Asia's Cauldron," Robert D. Kaplan offers up a vivid snapshot
of the nations surrounding the South China Sea, the conflicts
brewing in the region at the dawn of the twenty-first century, and
their implications for global peace and stability. One of the
world's most perceptive foreign policy experts, Kaplan interprets
America's interests in Asia in the context of an increasingly
assertive China. He explains how the region's unique geography
fosters the growth of navies but also impedes aggression. And he
draws a striking parallel between China's quest for hegemony in the
South China Sea and the United States' imperial adventure in the
Caribbean more than a century ago.
To understand the future of conflict in East Asia, Kaplan argues,
one must understand the goals and motivations of its leaders and
its people. Part travelogue, part geopolitical primer, "Asia's
Cauldron" takes us on a journey through the region's boom cities
and ramshackle slums: from Vietnam, where the superfueled
capitalism of the erstwhile colonial capital, Saigon, inspires the
geostrategic pretensions of the official seat of government in
Hanoi, to Malaysia, where a unique mix of authoritarian Islam and
Western-style consumerism creates quite possibly the ultimate
postmodern society; and from Singapore, whose "benevolent
autocracy" helped foster an economic miracle, to the Philippines,
where a different brand of authoritarianism under Ferdinand Marcos
led not to economic growth but to decades of corruption and crime.
At a time when every day's news seems to contain some new
story--large or small--that directly relates to conflicts over the
South China Sea, "Asia's Cauldron" is an indispensable guide to a
corner of the globe that will affect all of our lives for years to
come.
Advance praise for "Asia's Cauldron"
"This is the latest in a series of insightful books . . . in which
Robert D. Kaplan . . . tries to explain how geography determines
destiny--and what we should be doing about it. "Asia's Cauldron" is
a short book with a powerful thesis, and it stands out for its
clarity and good sense from the great mass of Western writing on
what Chinese politicians have taken to calling their 'peaceful
development.' If you are doing business in China, traveling in
Southeast Asia or just obsessing about geopolitics, you will want
to read it. . . . Throughout the book, Kaplan tempers hard-nose
geopolitics with an engaging mix of history and travelogue."--"The
New York Times Book Review"
" "
"An excellent primer to the conflicting ambitions, fears, and
futures of the nations bordering this vital sea-lane, which will
remain one of the most dangerous flashpoints of the coming
decade."--"New York Journal of Books"
"From the Hardcover edition."
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