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American Decline - this time it's for real China is only the largest part of a bigger story about the rise of new economic and political players. America's traditional allies in Europe - Britain, France, Italy, even Germany - are slipping down the economic ranks. New powers are on the rise: India, Brazil, Turkey. They each have their own foreign-policy preferences, which collectively constrain America's ability to shape the world. Think of how India and Brazil sided with China at the global climate-change talks. Or the votes by Turkey and Brazil against America at the United Nations on sanctions against Iran. That is just a taste of things to come. Desperate Housewives helps US propaganda Satellite broadcasts of the US TV shows Desperate Housewives and Late Show With David Letterman are doing more to persuade Saudi youth to reject violent jihad than hundreds of millions of dollars of US government propaganda, informants have told the American embassy in Jeddah. Egypt and Tunisia usher in the new era of global food revolutions IMF raises spectre of civil wars as global inequalities worsen Location, location and how the West was won Why does the West dominate the world? People once claimed Westerners were simply biologically superior. Others have argued Western religion, culture, ethics, or institutions are uniquely excellent, or that the West has had better leaders. Others still reject all these ideas, insisting that Western domination is just an accident. But in the last few years, a new kind of theory has gained ground. People, it suggests, are much the same all over the world. The reason why some groups stuck with hunting and gathering while others built empires and had industrial revolutions has nothing to do with genetics, beliefs, attitudes, or great men: it was simply a matter of geography. Modern art was CIA 'weapon' Superpower celebrity 'wonks' There is something inherently noble about the celebrity dissident, but there is something slightly ridiculous about the celebrity wonk. True dissidents - celebrity or not - play a vital role in democracy. But the celebrity desire to gain political power and social approval breeds intellectual conformity, precisely the opposite of what we need to achieve real changes. Politicians, intellectuals and the public can fall prey to groupthink (We must invade Vietnam to keep the dominoes from falling!) and need dissidents to shake them out of it. Superpower: Culture How To Build A Superpower is a series of four films about what elements define and make-up a global superpower. This episode looks at the importance of cultural hegemony. Superpower: Firepower How To Build A Superpower is a series of four films about what elements define and make-up a global superpower. This episode looks at the importance of military strength. Superpower: Money How To Build A Superpower is a series of four films about what elements define and make-up a global superpower. This episode looks at the importance of economic strength. Superpower: Politics How To Build A Superpower is a series of four films about what elements define and make-up a global superpower. This episode looks at the importance of global political influence. U.S. will remain a major power in the Asia-Pacific Visualising empires in decline West has no God-given right to be rich or to host the World Cup The decision of which countries will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals was met with shock and outrage but was good news for the global economy. Western dominance? It's the history of geography WikiLeaks: Shell's grip on Nigerian state revealed The oil giant Shell claimed it had inserted staff into all the main ministries of the Nigerian government, giving it access to politicians' every move in the oil-rich Niger Delta, according to a leaked US diplomatic cable. The WikiLeaks disclosure was seized on by campaigners as evidence of Shell's vice-like grip on Nigeria's oil wealth. "Shell is everywhere. They have an eye and an ear in every ministry of Nigeria. They have people on the payroll in every community, which is why they get away with everything. Shell are more powerful than the Nigerian government." WikiLeaks: UK Foreign Office accused of misleading public over Diego Garcia The UK Foreign Office stands accused of misleading the public over the plight of thousands of islanders who were expelled from their Indian Ocean homeland to make way for a large US military base. A secret US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks suggests the Foreign Office has privately admitted its latest plan to declare the islands the world's largest marine protection zone will end any chance of them being repatriated. The admission is at odds with the public position of the Foreign Office that the proposed park does not prejudice or have any effect on the the islanders' right to return. The islanders have claimed the marine park was a ploy to block their return, saying it would make it impossible for them to live there as it would ban fishing, their main livelihood.
American Decline - this time it's for real
Desperate Housewives helps US propaganda
Egypt and Tunisia usher in the new era of global food revolutions
IMF raises spectre of civil wars as global inequalities worsen
Location, location and how the West was won
Modern art was CIA 'weapon'
Superpower celebrity 'wonks'
Superpower: Culture
Superpower: Firepower
Superpower: Money
Superpower: Politics
U.S. will remain a major power in the Asia-Pacific
Visualising empires in decline
West has no God-given right to be rich or to host the World Cup
Western dominance? It's the history of geography
WikiLeaks: Shell's grip on Nigerian state revealed
WikiLeaks: UK Foreign Office accused of misleading public over Diego Garcia
