Book by Renowned British Scholar Paul Kennedy Examines History of Continuous Shifts in World Power Centers Over the Past Five Hundred Years - from the era of the birth of large monarchies and the beginnings of colonial empires in Europe to the beginning of the 21st century. Emphasizing the interconnectedness of the economy, scientific and technological innovation and the ability of public policy to effectively use its resources in peacetime and at war, the author derives patterns that allow a particular state at a certain point in history to gain leadership on the world stage, which, as a result of the imbalance between military and economic potential, is easily transferred to a new world power. The book was first published in 1987, and the last chapter in it sounded like a forecast regarding the possible balance of power in the world by the beginning of the 21st century.