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Time to Start Thinking: America in the Age of Descent [Hardcover]

Edward Luce
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

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Book Description

26 April 2012

On its present course, the US faces a world of rising new countries that will compete with it ever more fiecely as its own power is declining. In order to slow and improve this steady leakage of power, the US must change course internationally, economically and domestically. It must also restructure to remain the world's most competitive economy. And it must address quality of life issues and fairness at home.

But American politics is broken - competing forces and interests have led to stasis. With change so tough, where now for a country where the middle classes are suffering as they have never suffered before, the pensions crisis is growing, the deficit out of sight, and radicalism waiting in the wings?

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.


Product details

  • Hardcover: 291 pages
  • Publisher: Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press (26 April 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0802120210
  • ISBN-13: 978-0802120212
  • Product Dimensions: 16.2 x 2.8 x 23.7 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,346,873 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Review

This is as good a diagnosis of America's failings as you will get (Sunday Times ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Book Description

The age of American global dominance is over. This brilliant new book from one of the FT's most senior writers shows how it ended and where the US needs to turn to prevent the crisis from deepening further. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars America on the way to become like ...France ? 4 Sep 2012
Format:Hardcover
Luce has written a very interesting and convincing case about America's decline. He examines differents themes that are associated with this situation :
- the vanishing middle class
- education
- Innovation
- Government and politics covers the last three chapters (almost half of the book)

To me, the most alarming issue was innovation, nevertheless the situation is not better with respect to the other topics.

Many books have been written about america's decline - most have been written before it was even a possibility - nevertheless, I feel the topics covered was right on the spot and very well documented. The analysis of the "tea party" movement and washington bureacracy are also very interesting - I believe especially for europeans.

If america's decline is a "lieu commun" for many people, its impacts threaten to be much more significant than the emergence of china, as The Kagan recent - and advised - "the World America Made" makes obvious.

The "olsonian nightmare" is the key explanation that Luce provides : Mancur Olson, the brilliant swedish economist that analysed the effect of vested interests on the economy (in his case, vested interests, were trade-unions in the UK). For Luce, Vested interests are dominating the politics and its inertia seem to be the dominant force ...

The book is not perfect :
- luce point repeatedly to the fact that Chinan invest huge amounts in infrastructure and america is not, as an example of decline but who said they need to invest the same % of GDP. America's infrastructure are far from perfect but China starts from a much lower point
- Also one might have the feeling that when interviewing people, the only question is "what"s bad in here ?" forgetting the "by the way, does anyting work ?" or "is there any good news ?" - but this is a reader's feeling
- Last, and more frighteningly, Luce could have written the same book about UK or France with the same "olsonian nightmare" diagnostic ... Actually, I have wrriten this book some years ago (in French though)

And that might be the unwritten key issue of the book : America is falling but we are already down there with no bottom in sight !

Let's hope that after the "olsonian nightmare" is just a nightmare a we might wake up one day !!!
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Incisive analysis of a declining power 8 April 2012
By Fang
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Just as elegantly written and easily readable as his book on India, Luce provides here a cohesive, well researched analysis of the key factors that have resulted in the U.S. losing power, influence and prosperity. Luce is both well and broadly connected and open- minded, seemingly without the burden of political agenda that so often makes the lens of other writers within the same realm less incisive.
A must-read also for U.K. citizens, as so many detrimental aspects of poltical/social/financial/educational issues raised in this book equally apply to what is increasingly evident here.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Insight. 7 July 2012
By M.C.
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Unlike many books about the US, this book comes without an agenda. It is meticulously researched and very imformative. I would urge anybody to read this book, not least, American policy makers themselves.
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