Predictions

Will It Be a Happy New Year? Global Predictions for 2017

As 2016 comes to an end, many pundits have spelled out the challenges that the next president of the United States will face in 2017 and beyond. Though the U.S. remains the center of the world politically, economically and militarily, there are many long-term shifts that will fundamentally challenge Washington’s ability to influence events globally.

While the U.S. remains the most powerful nation on the planet, its ability to influence global events will wane next year, as political and economic discord beyond North America consume governments in nationalist fury. This change has long been coming as the post-Cold War era began unraveling in the 2008 economic crisis, although it is often chalked up to the current rising tide of populism.

The changes taking place around the globe are not confined to any single cause. Instead, there are a number of influences at work.