Zero-Sum Future: American Power in an Age of Anxiety

In his new book, Zero-Sum Future: American Power in an Age of Anxiety (Simon & Schuster, 2011), Financial Times foreign affairs columnist Gideon Rachman argues that from a growing rivalry between America and China to the current breakdown of the European Union, a zero-sum logic of political and economic conflict is overcoming the win-win logic of globalization. He also explains how zero-sum logic is hindering efforts to deal with global problems from Afghanistan to nuclear proliferation and from climate change to unemployment.

On February 8, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings (CUSE) hosted a discussion to explore these issues. Vice President Kemal Derviş, director of Global Economy and Development at Brookings and Senior Fellow Justin Vaïsse, CUSE director of research, joined the discussion.

Senior Fellow Fiona Hill, director of CUSE, provided introductory remarks and moderated the discussion. After the program, the panelists took audience questions.