Back to Bipolarity: How China’s Rise Transformed the Balance of Power

China’s rise, Russia’s military resurgence, and India’s economic growth have prompted debates about the end of unipolarity and the future balance of power. This article introduces an inductive method for comparing national power. It draws three conclusions: Great powers don’t need to achieve parity with the leading state to engage in a dangerous security competition; China on most dimensions is not only a great power but a superpower; and neither Russia nor India are great powers. The system is bipolar.