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dustyduck's review
4.0
A concise overview of international politics as operant through intergovernmental institutions. Those interested in the 20th century should also see his 2008 work No Enchanted Palace, which is far more skeptical of the benign image that organizations like the League of Nations/United Nations often present themselves as having. Here, he tempers the role of international 'governing' institutions with more economic and financial ones like the Bretton Woods architecture. The US inevitably is the counterweight to such global processes, but it is hard to envisage a history of 20th century internationalism written otherwise.
matttrevithick's review
4.0
Stuffed full of information. Author shows his ideological preferences subtly as the book reaches closer to the conclusion and discusses the modern era of 'globalization' but the review of the entire idea of an 'inter - national' identity or concept through the 1800s to 1950s is quite interesting.
grayaelc's review
4.0
Clearly written about the changing ideas about global governance over time. Brings in a history of philosophical thought through Kant and Bentham about the idea. Introduces the popular audience to these bought a and the concept of the world beyond the west.
josephb8694's review
4.0
I read this book with pencil in hand and found I couldn't stop underlining important insights and new understandings. Mazower leads you through the various stages of diplomacy, international relations and efforts to secure world peace and order from the Concert of Europe (1814) to the League of Nations to the U.N. to the present day. He covers not only how the major European powers interacted but also the emergence and contribution of U.S. involvement. The only disappointment is not learning much about Mazower's speculations about what be ahead in the 21st Century as China and India become global powers. The implication, as far as I can see, is the world will move into a new era of globalism, with a new superstructure replacing the UN, as technology, biotechnology, ecology, migration, trade and space become unignorable world issues.
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