In the US, Hutton's book is being published under a slightly different and perhaps more direct title, "Why We Must Embrace China as a Partner or Face it as an Enemy". Hutton lays out some frightening scenarios about how China's transition could yet go off the rails - not since Bismarck's Germany has a power with such internal tensions forced the re-imagining of the international system at such a rapid pace. As the author of "The State We're In", Hutton does so in a suitably provocative way.

If you work for, buy from or compete against global organisations like Wal-Mart or ebay, you'll need to know how big multinational capitalism is going to adapt to China. As the famously nonunionised Wal-Mart just allowed Communist Party branches in its Chinese stores and ebay surrendered to its Chinese competitors, you will need to know what's next.