Disunited Nations

By: Peter Zeihan

Narrated by: Peter Zeihan, Roy Worley

Length: 16 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's Summary

Should we stop caring about fading regional powers like China, Russia, Germany, and Iran? Will the collapse of international cooperation push France, Turkey, Japan, and Saudi Arabia to the top of international concerns?

Most countries and companies are not prepared for the world Peter Zeihan says we’re already living in. For decades, America’s allies have depended on its might for their economic and physical security. But as a new age of American isolationism dawns, the results will surprise everyone. 

In Disunited Nations, geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan presents a series of counterintuitive arguments about the future of a world where trade agreements are coming apart and international institutions are losing their power. Germany will decline as the most powerful country in Europe, with France taking its place. Every country should prepare for the collapse of China, not North Korea. We are already seeing, as Zeihan predicts, a shift in outlook on the Middle East: it is no longer Iran that is the region’s most dangerous threat, but Saudi Arabia. 

The world has gotten so accustomed to the “normal” of an American-dominated order that we have all forgotten the historical norm: several smaller, competing powers and economic systems throughout Europe and Asia. America isn’t the only nation stepping back from the international system. From Brazil to Great Britain to Russia, leaders are deciding that even if plenty of countries lose in the growing disunited chaos, their nations will benefit. The world isn’t falling apart - it’s being pushed apart. The countries and businesses prepared for this new every-country-for-itself ethic are those that will prevail; those shackled to the status quo will find themselves lost in the new world disorder. 

Smart, interesting, and essential listening, Disunited Nations is a sure-to-be-controversial guidebook that analyzes the emerging shifts and resulting problems that will arise in the next two decades. We are entering a period of chaos, and no political or corporate leader can ignore Zeihan’s insights or his message if they want to survive and thrive in this uncertain new time.

©2020 Peter Zeihan (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

Wow!

I've listened to all of Peter's books, and this one is absolutely on point. I listened during the COVID-19 shelter in place order in Southern California, and the themes in this book are playing out in real time on the news. Highly recommended!

2 people found this helpful

Pro America Propaganda

This is not an academic book by any measure. There are so many things wrong here, suffice to say I could tell the level of the authors thinking after he dismissed AI as not being of any importance whatsoever. Save your audible credit, and read Noam Chomsky instead.

1 person found this helpful

Engaging and well reasoned

If you’ve seen any of the hour long videos of Zeihan’s lectures, consider this one of those, but with 15 times the material, with time for all the points that he may have to gloss over on any given presentation.

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Another Home Run

Peter Zeihan has capped off his trilogy with a fantastic volume in Disunited Nations. From the emotional prologue describing his ultimately transformative friendship with Matt to his on point descriptions of world history and current geopolitics, you'll be hooked. In addition, Roy Worley is fantastic with his narration providing a lively and engrossing candor to what many would consider dry fact and analysis. Worley, with all due respect to the Author, is the best narrator in Zeihan's trilogy.

A can't miss volume for all armchair historians, touching on the new players to come in the disorder predicted by Zeihan with the best narration in the trilogy. Disunited Nations is fantastic and I'm already looking forward to listening to it a second time

1 person found this helpful

Fresh perspective of how the future may look.

Disunited Nations offers value in an interesting "what could be" scenario of the future world order. The book culminates in a hopeful prognostication for America's future. Freedom of economics was an indicator that was very weakly addressed in Disunited Nations. The economic foundation of a nation is by far the most important factor in her success or failure, even more so than demography and geography. The rise of regional powers offered herein will only occur if these governments adopt a laissez-faire policy. I disagree with the author that the USA's increasing policy of distancing from supplying order to the world, and focusing on America fist, is completely indicative of a lack of interest, but rather a pragmatic approach to more sensible use of our capital. Finally, the author uses the term "dollar diplomacy" as a slur and assumes that government foreign policy is more successful and that lop sided benefit to foreign parties through business negotiations is the norm. I feel that voluntary business partnerships raises the poor from poverty in foreign countries much faster and cleaner than government regulation and policy.

3 in 1: fantasy, fairy tale, wishful thinking

Dr. Peter Zeihan presents his wishful thinking wrapped in colorful fantasy story instead of an attempt to explain the root cause of current economic and financial imbalances accumulated over the years and ways to fix them. According to him all problems will miraculously resolve themselves while all adversaries and even allies are starving or perishing of old age. Somehow great American rivers, internal waterways and aircraft carriers are going to bring relief to budget deficits, national debt and need to bailout economy at taxpayers expense every 10 to 15 years. I would read his stories to kids as fairy tails, if not for his accounts of future mass starvation and bloody wars which border with thoughts of psychopath. As if these things have never happened under so-called (by P. Zeihan) American order. Complete waste of time and money. Unlike story, narration is impeccable.

Peter asks (and answers) the big question

Peter asks one big question. What does the world look like if the US stops caring?

Global trade? Dependent upon the US Navy.
The rise of China? Dependent upon global trade.
Cheap oil? At the American request only.
Brazil taking on the American farmer? Only possible if the US supports the exports.

Everything that allows countries around the world to be a thorn in the Americans side is only possible if the Americans allow it. What happens when they change their minds about that?

Zeihan really needs to go the extra mile

Content of this book was great and typical Zeihan. However, I realized why Absent was such a let down after listening to Disunited. For me it all comes back to how riveting Accidental was, my favorite book ever. Accidental was superb because Zeihan narrated it! Disunited was just boring without Zeihan's voice and inflections. Zeihan needs to put more effort into the delivery of his vision of future and read the damn book to his fan base. Hope you see this review Peter and redo Disunited. I'll buy it again. It should be noted this is my first ever review on Audible after over a dozen years.

Should be required reading

Loved the book! Will need to listen a couple more times to absorb it all.

Great update of the original Accidental Superpower

Very insightful, Just like Accidental Superpower it places the world in a data perspective without political spin. Not quite as tight as Accidental Superpower but still outstanding. Very useful for long range business planning. Dissolves much of the knee jerk attention grabbing "doom and gloom" that is typical of the mainstream media. Shows how lucky we are here in the United States. I also like his email newsletters that provide mini-updates. Thank you Peter!