The Absent Superpower

The Absent Superpower: The Shale Revolution and a World Without America by Peter Zeihan is a geopolitical analysis of a rapidly changing world where the United States withdraws from global engagement just as international stability begins to crumble.

Zeihan argues that the American shale energy boom has made the U.S. energy independent, freeing it from reliance on volatile global regions. Meanwhile, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East face mounting crises — from terrorism and financial instability to territorial aggression. As America steps back, the rest of the world enters a period of disorder and conflict, reshaping global power dynamics.

The book explores how geography, demography, and energy will define the next two decades, predicting both chaos abroad and opportunity at home for the U.S.