This book is the result of the collective endeavours of thirteen scholars and maintains that in the name of peace, international cooperation, democracy, trade and human rights, the struggle for power is under way between the United States, Russia and China. This struggle is motivated by the natural clash of national interests, an almost preordained process in the contemporary state system. The struggle for power has been the dynamic element of history, and is likely to remain so in the future.

International war may or may not ensue between the three major powers, but their relations will remain competitive, and at times quite hostile.