1. American Systemic Leadership: Its Unparalleled Rise and Slow Retreat 2. System Leadership, Rise and Relative Decline in the Global Political Economy 3. The Rise of the U.S. Economy 4. The 1920-45 Shift in U.S. Foreign Policy Orientation: Theory, Grand Strategies and System Leader Ascents 5. The Relative Decline of the United States 6. The Dysfunctionality of Domestic Politics: A Form of Absolute Decline 7. The Unipolarity Mirage 8. Inching Toward the Primus inter Pares Model and the End of Systemic Leadership as We Have Come to Know It? 9. The Second Sino-American Rivalry 10. The Future of World Order References Index

"This volume deals with complex arguments using clear language, fairly crafted propositions, well-designed indicators, and the very insightful long leadership cycle perspective. It brings sharp focus and real life into the increasingly foggy question of US decline." --Robert A. Denemark, Professor of Political Science and International Relations, University of Delaware "This book is an insightful inquiry into the decline of US hegemony that deploys an evolutionary comparative perspective on the long history of rise and fall of empires and hegemonic core states. Thompson contends that the coming time of troubles will require careful peaceful co-existence among the great powers to avoid massive calamities." --Christopher Chase-Dunn, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Director of the Institute for Research on World-Systems, University of California-Riverside "A superb treatment of the economic, technological, military, and domestic foundations of the rise and prospective decline of American pre-eminence in world politics over the last two centuries. Thompson's theoretically innovative and empirically systematic analysis, anchored in a deeper historical perspective, is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of American global leadership and world order." --Jack S. Levy, Board of Governors Professor, Rutgers University "Thompson has been one of the major scholars contributing to our understanding of international politics. At a time when scholars are focused on the rise of China and the alleged decline of the US, his most recent work in this area could not be more timely. And unlike most approaches to the rise and decline of powers today, this one is correctly placed in the context of long-term dynamics that help explain where we are now and where we are heading. Combining rigorous theory with new data on military and economic capabilities, along with a strong historical perspective, this excellent contribution to the field of international relations should be on the desks of both scholars and students in the field." --Thomas J. Volgy, The University of Arizona

William R. Thompson is Distinguished Professor and Rogers Chair in Political Science Emeritus at Indiana University, Bloomington. He is also Editor-in-Chief of the Oxford Research Encyclopedia in Politics, a past President of the International Studies Association, and twice Editor-in-Chief of the International Studies Quarterly. Recent books include Racing to the Top, Shocks and Rivalries in the Middle East and North Africa, and Power Concentration in World Politics.

Selling point: Examines the lineage of system leaders in world history Selling point: Charts the real trajectory of world power, showing why declinists are overly pessimistic and anti-declinists are too optimistic Selling point: Makes the novel argument that the situational context which encourages systemic leadership may not be present in the future