The silk road to riches: How you can profit by investing in Asia’s newfound prosperity

Chapter 2. Asia’s Path to prosperity

The world is changing dramatically. Those who fail to realize this will pay a heavy price.

Consider the U.S., arguably the most agile economy in history. Americans—after experiencing a great economic and financial run from 1982 to 2000 and a housing bubble after that—have come to view their privileged position in the global economic stage as a divine right of some sort, ignoring that the U.S. acquired its global hegemonic position through hard work and sacrifice, not extreme complacency from leaders and citizens. If this attitude persists—and signs of change are difficult to see—it is conceivable that the great U.S. economic machine will fail to adequately adjust to the unfolding new economic order.

A potential ...