Can America “Lose” in the Globalization Game?

This essay argues that the narrative of American decline reflects an overreliance on evanescent economic trends and on a lack of appreciation for the cultural factors that nurture the processes of globalization and innovation. Despite political dysfunctions, the United States has demographic and cultural assets that are uniquely suited to these processes. Meanwhile, challengers such as China and India must navigate even more serious political, economic, demographic and environmental challenges—and even if they do so successfully, they may face cultural backlashes within societies that are ambivalent about their future direction. Globalization may well be a pernicious process, one that bleeds the planet’s resources; yet as long as it represents the main arena of international competition and collaboration, the author suggests that reports of American decline may be as premature today as they were in numerous other moments over the past half-century.