Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power

A pre-eminent scholar challenges the notion of inevitable American decline, arguing that the nation can still lead in a rapidly shifting world order

“Nye marshals his wide grasp of history, politics, and economics to produce a compelling book.” —The Economist

In this pioneering work, Joseph S. Nye, Jr., reckons with the enduring claim that American decline is inevitable. He argues that the United States will remain the dominant world power and shows that narratives about decline only divert policy makers from creating effective strategies for the future. The United States is not losing power; the nature of power has simply changed. The real—and unprecedented—challenge for the United States is maintaining its position as the world becomes increasingly interdependent.