The European Anarchy

A historical and political analysis that traces the rise of sovereign-state competition from the late fifteenth century and explains how Machiavellian realpolitik and the balance-of-power system produced chronic mutual fear and arms competition. It surveys national policies and public opinion across the major European powers, examines flashpoints such as naval rivalry, colonial contests, the Balkans and Moroccan crises, and follows events leading to the outbreak of war. It assesses responsibility and moral culpability, critiques the pursuit of power and wealth, describes the postwar settlement, and argues for a transformed international order based on legal controls, arbitration, and a league to limit anarchy.