by Moises Naim
First published 2014
Power structures across the globe are crumbling. Moisés Naím examines how traditional authority figures face unprecedented constraints while new challengers emerge everywhere. His analysis spans multiple domains: political systems where autocrats once ruled 89 countries in 1977 but now over half the world lives under democratic governance, corporate boardrooms where executives serve shorter terms with less autonomy, and conflict zones where groups like Hezbollah acquire military drones previously available only to nation states. Naím documents how insurgent micropowers can overthrow dictators and break up monopolies, yet these same forces can create instability and gridlock. The book traces this phenomenon through business hierarchies, religious institutions, educational systems, family structures, and military organizations. By 2010, ten leading hedge funds generated more profits than the six largest banks worldwide combined. The author reveals how established powers build protective barriers that newcomers now dismantle with surprising speed, though these challengers soon discover their own vulnerability. This transformation affects every reader's personal and professional landscape.
Genres: business, political-science, economics, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: institutional-change, social-commentary
Setting: Global
Period: 21st Century
322 pages · Kindle Edition · Basic Books