Savage Century: Back to Barbarism

Description

At the dawn of the twentieth century, observers heralded a new era of social progress, seemingly limitless technological advances, and world peace. But within only a few years, the world was perched on the brink of war, revolution, and human misery on an unprecedented scale. Is it possible that today, in the early twenty-first century, we are on the verge of similar, tumultuous times? Blending a detailed knowledge of international security affairs with history, philosophy, psychology, and literature, Thérèse Delpech vividly reminds us of the signs and warnings that were missed as the "civilized" world failed to prevent both world wars, the Holocaust, Soviet death camps, and Cambodian killing fields that made the twentieth century so deadly. Drawing a parallel between 1905 and 2005, Delpech warns that it could happen again in this current era of increasing international violence and global lawlessness. She looks ahead to imagine various scenarios and regions that could become flashpoints in the future. Winner of the 2005 Prix Femina de l'essai. Praise for the original French edition, L'Ensauvagement "One doesn't know what to admire most in this book: the precision of information, the scope of reference, the originality of the approach?" —Le Nouvel Observateur "From Iranian nuclear ambitions to the Taiwan question, Delpech reviews all the situations which might lead mankind to succumb to the perennial temptation of savagery—a passionate and lucid book." —L'argus de la presse "L'ensauvagement transcends its surface content, articulating great hope that our reason and will might take hold and overcome unreason." —Politique étrangère "Combining introspection and prediction, geopolitics and philosophy, Thérèse Delpech has issued a warning cry." —Politique Internationale Front Cover Title Page Copyright Information Table of Contents Preface to the Paperback Edition Prologue Part One: The Telescope Political Responsibility The Pleasure Principle Ensavagement The Corruption of Principles Part Two: 1905 Portents The Birth of Modernity An Unforeseeable Actor Against the Grain Part Three: The World in 2025 Foresight and Memory Three Bets for the Future Open Questions Part Four: Back in 2005 The Scene in 2005 Russia as it is The Two Chinas North Korean Blackmail The Choice of the Peoples The Unity of the Western Camp Rethinking Nuclear Weapons Epilogue Notes Index About the Author Back Cover