- +10
Rosa Balfour, Frances Z. Brown, Yasmine Farouk, …
{
"authors": [
"Moisés Naím"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "",
"programs": [],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"North America",
"South America",
"Southern, Eastern, and Western Africa",
"South Asia",
"India",
"East Asia",
"China",
"Russia"
],
"topics": [
"Economy",
"Global Governance"
]
}Source: Getty
Power Outage
Power has become more fleeting and transient, with a number of different kinds of constraints limiting the abilities of those in power, whether countries, corporations, churches, or armies.
Source: BBC World News America
Speaking on BBC World News America, Carnegie's Moisés Naím discussed the implications of how power has recently become more dispersed and thus more difficult to use. With new competitors entering the arena, there is an underlying threat to the significance and power of existing actors. In his new book, The End of Power, Naím explains that power is easier to get, harder to wield, and faster to lose. Power has become more fleeting and transient, with a number of different kinds of constraints limiting the abilities of those in power, whether countries, corporations, churches, or armies, Naím said. The BRICS-- Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa-- are an example of how new countries are challenging the traditional power structure. These five large, fast-growing economies share great economic performance, yet they face the same corrosion of power that the big powers, such as the United States and Europe, have also experienced, said Naím.
This interview was originally broadcast on BBC World News America.
About the Author
Distinguished Fellow
Moisés Naím is a distinguished fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a best-selling author, and an internationally syndicated columnist.
- The World Reacts to Biden’s First 100 DaysResearch
- View From Latin AmericaCommentary
Moisés Naím
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie China
- China’s Energy Security Doesn’t Run Through Hormuz but Through the Electrification of EverythingCommentary
Across Asia, China is better positioned to withstand energy shocks from the fallout of the Iran war. Its abundant coal capacity can ensure stability in the near term. Yet at the same time, the country’s energy transition away from coal will make it even less vulnerable during the next shock.
Damien Ma
- The Xi Doctrine Zeros in on “High-Quality Development” for China’s Economic FutureCommentary
In the latest Five-Year Plan, the Chinese president cements the shift to an innovation-driven economy over a consumption-driven one.
Damien Ma
- When It Comes to Superpower Geopolitics, Malaysia Is Staunchly NonpartisanCommentary
For Malaysia, the conjunction that works is “and” not “or” when it comes to the United States and China.
Elina Noor
- ASEAN-China Digital Cooperation: Deeper but Clear-Eyed EngagementCommentary
ASEAN needs to determine how to balance perpetuating the benefits of technology cooperation with China while mitigating the risks of getting caught in the crosshairs of U.S.-China gamesmanship.
Elina Noor
- Neither Comrade nor Ally: Decoding Vietnam’s First Army Drill with ChinaCommentary
In July 2025, Vietnam and China held their first joint army drill, a modest but symbolic move reflecting Hanoi’s strategic hedging amid U.S.–China rivalry.
Nguyễn Khắc Giang