Right Makes Might: Freedom and Power in the Information Age

: China's emergence begs a fresh look at power in world affairs-more precisely, at how the spread of freedom and the integration of the global economy, due to the information revolution, are affecting the nature, concentration, and purpose of power. Perhaps such a look could improve the odds of responding wisely to China's rise. The natural worry of Americans who came of age during the Cold War is that the makings exist for another bipolar confrontation. For decades, the growth of Soviet power relative to U.S. power was deemed so alarming that the United States would go to any length and any cost-trillions of dollars!-to preserve parity. From such history, American anxiety about China should surprise no one, not even the Chinese. The timing of China's ascendance is especially eerie: Exactly a century ago, German leaders convinced themselves that England had no right to deny equality to their rising state and would be Germany's main enemy for trying. The British regarded this German attitude, particularly the building of a high-seas fleet, as menacing. England's response building dread naughts fast enough to stay ahead-gave German hawks the enemy they sought. The ensuing hegemonic rivalry spiraled into conflict.