The Shield of Achilles: War, Peace, and the Course of History [Anglais] [Broché]

The scope of Philip Bobbitt's The Shield of Achilles is breathtaking: the interplay, over the last six centuries, among war, jurisprudence, and the reshaping of countries ("states," in Bobbitt's vocabulary). Bobbitt posits that certain wars should be deemed epochal--that is, seen as composed of many "smaller" wars. For example, according to Bobbitt the epochal war of the 20th century began in 1914 and ended with the collapse of communism in 1990. These military affairs--and their subsequent "ultimate" peace agreements--have caused, each in their own way, revolutionary reconstructions of the idea and actuality of statehood and, following, of relationships between these various new entities. Of these reconstructions (including the princely state, the kingly state, and the nation-state), Bobbitt is most interested in the current incarnation, which he calls the market-state: one whose borders are scuffed and hazy at best (certainly compared to earlier territorial markers) and whose strengths, weaknesses, citizens, and enemies roam across cyberspace rather than plains and valleys. The Shield of Achilles is massive, erudite, and demanding--at once highly abstract and extremely detailed. There is about it an air of detached erudition, one noticeably free of the easy "decline and fall" hysteria too often present in contemporary historical analyses. --H. O'Billovich --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.

The world is at a pivotal point, argues Bobbitt, as the nation-state, developed over six centuries as the optimal institution for waging war and organizing peace, gives way to the market-state. Nation-states derive legitimacy from promising to improve the material welfare of their citizens, specifically by providing security and order. Market-states offer to maximize the opportunity of their people. Nation-states use force and law to bring about desired results. Market-states use various forms of market relationships. Bobbitt, who has an endowed chair at the University of Texas and has written five previous books on constitutional law and on nuclear strategy, argues in sprawling fashion that this paradigm shift is essentially a consequence of the "Long War" of 1914-1990, a struggle among communism, fascism and parliamentarism that, through innovation and mimicry, generated a fundamentally new constitutional and strategic dynamic that in turn generated a fundamentally new "society of states." Central to Bobbitt's thesis is the postulate that international order is a consequence of domestic order. In the work's most stimulating section, Bobbitt discusses three possible ways of reorganizing the latter. The "Meadow," essentially an extrapolation of socio-political patterns currently dominant in the U.S., features high levels of individualism around the world at the expense of collective behavior at any level. The "Park," based on a European alternate, emphasizes regionalism. The "Garden" predicates successful market states disengaging from international affairs and emphasizing renewed internal community. None of these systems will eliminate war, but the nation-state is declining, Bobbitt argues, essentially because nonstate actors confront the nation-state with threats it cannot effectively respond to. This big book is provocative and richly textured, but too often Bobbitt's arguments are obscured by his historically digressive presentation. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.

Bobbitt (constitutional law, Univ. of Texas; Constitutional Interpretation) attempts to foresee the shape of the 21st century in this study of the nation-state and how it evolves through politics and war. Bobbitt believes that the nation-state, which has dominated the last 200 years, is about to fade away and be replaced by what he calls the market state. He sees what he calls the long war of the nation-state, begun in 1914 and not ended until 1990 with the Treaty of Paris, as the major political event of the 20th century. However, the nation-states that survived this protracted struggle are seeing their legitimacy, linked to specific territories and borders, challenged by modern communications, global migration patterns, and organizations with no single territorial base. The result of these trends will be the emergence of the market state, which will be structured to maximize economic opportunities by opening markets rather than maintaining large governing establishments that attempt to maintain uniformity by means of legislation. Bobbitt's arguments are based solidly on his extensive knowledge of international security and constitutional law, and his book will be of interest to anyone concerned with foreign relations and the evolution of society. Recommended for all academic and larger public libraries. Robert J. Andrews, Duluth P.L., MN
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.

The past five centuries have witnessed the slow, often tortuous, and violent buildup of powerful nation-states. During the past century, the cataclysmic violence of two world wars has largely been the work of these relatively unified and centralized states. Now, with the decline of the ideologies of fascism and communism and rise of global economic and political institutions, it is possible that new relationships must evolve between states and between citizens and their national governments. Bobbitt teaches constitutional law at the University of Texas and has served as a governmental expert on international law and security. His massive, detailed, and provocative work examines the growth and evolution of nation-states, considers the role of warfare in that evolution, and suggests the possibilities for new political and economic structures for the future. Bobbitt assumes the reader has a solid knowledge of modern world history. For those who do, this work will be a valuable and intriguing look at where we have been and where we might be going. Jay Freeman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.

?Magisterial in its scope and ambition. . . . Bobbitt?s evolutionary map of warfare?s impact onteh state foreshadows the kinds of events still unfolding.? ?The New York Times

?I take my hat off to the author for the boldness of his enterprise, for his scholarship, and for his capacity to get the reader to think along new lines. The Shield of Achilles may well become a classic.? ?Paul Kennedy, The New York Review of Books

?Excellent . . . This book ? with its masterly reappraisal of modern history and subtle elucidation of today?s geopolitics ? should be on every desk in the State Department.? ?National Review

?Philip Bobbit is to be saluted for undertaking an epic struggle to sort through an extraordinarily dynamic time in international affairs.? ?The Washington Post Book World

?Once in a great while, there comes a book so ambitious in scope and so original in its insights that it challenges our comfortable patterns of thought and provokes widespread discussion in academic and political circles . . . a rare and important book.? ?Fort Worth Star Telegram

?The Shield of Achilles should become required reading not only in the academy but for the military and civilian decision-makers of the industrialized world.? ?The Weekly Standard

?[The Shield of Achilles] will be one of the most important works in international relations published during the last fifty years.? ?Sir Michael Howard, author of War and the Liberal Conscience

?This is a bold book, a brave book, and a worthy primer for the essential study of where we go from here.? ?The Times (London)

[The Shield of Achilles] will be one of the most important works in international relations published during the last fifty years.? ?Sir Michael Howard, author of War and the Liberal Conscience

?This is a bold book, a brave book, and a worthy primer for the essential study of where we go from here.? ?The Times (London)

?We are all about to have our view of the world turned upside down by this superb book.??Chris Patten, The Guardian (UK)

?An extraordinarily sophisticated and comprehensive survey of war, peace, and nationhood. . . . Bobbitt has made a valuable contribution to wider understanding of how the world really works.??The Dallas Morning News

?Remarkable. . . An audacious, massively informed analysis of the nature of the modern state and of modern war.??Richard Overy, Literary Review

?A blockbuster on the history and future of the modern state. . . I defy you to read this and claim your understanding has not been enriched.??Adam Roberts, The Independent (UK)

?Awe-inspiring. An alarming glimpse of our future. . . argumentative, opinionated, brilliant. . . A triumph.??Evening Standard

?One of the key texts at the birth of the new century.??Philip Ziegler

?Wide-ranging, ambitiously conceived, and intelligently argued. . . . Bobbitt?s future scenarios are based on an intelligent and cautiously realistic extrapolation of current security and political developments. We ignore them at our peril.??The Times Literary Supplement (UK)

?Remarkable. . . Breathtaking in its range of reference, forcefully written.??London Review of Books

?Fascinating. . . This book will certainly stimulate a needed discussion of America?s foreign policy.??Christian Science Monitor

?Immensely and deliberately provocative. . . A passionate and worthy effort to make sense of what is clearly a brand new world.??New York Sun

?Detailed and provocative. . . . A valuable and intriguing look at where we have been and where we are going.??Booklist

?A brilliant, disquieting essay on geopolitics, warfare and the future of the state. . . . Few historical studies are as daring and engaging as this.??Kirkus Reviews

For five centuries, the State has evolved according to epoch-making cycles of war and peace. But now our world has changed irrevocably. What faces us in this era of fear and uncertainty? How do we protect ourselves against war machines that can penetrate the defenses of any state? Visionary and prophetic, The Shield of Achilles looks back at history, at the “Long War” of 1914-1990, and at the future: the death of the nation-state and the birth of a new kind of conflict without precedent.

“Magisterial in its scope and ambition. . . . Bobbitt’s evolutionary map of warfare’s impact onteh state foreshadows the kinds of events still unfolding.” —The New York Times

“I take my hat off to the author for the boldness of his enterprise, for his scholarship, and for his capacity to get the reader to think along new lines. The Shield of Achilles may well become a classic.” —Paul Kennedy, The New York Review of Books

“Excellent . . . This book – with its masterly reappraisal of modern history and subtle elucidation of today’s geopolitics – should be on every desk in the State Department.” —National Review

“Philip Bobbit is to be saluted for undertaking an epic struggle to sort through an extraordinarily dynamic time in international affairs.” —The Washington Post Book World

“Once in a great while, there comes a book so ambitious in scope and so original in its insights that it challenges our comfortable patterns of thought and provokes widespread discussion in academic and political circles . . . a rare and important book.” —Fort Worth Star Telegram

“The Shield of Achilles should become required reading not only in the academy but for the military and civilian decision-makers of the industrialized world.” —The Weekly Standard

“[The Shield of Achilles] will be one of the most important works in international relations published during the last fifty years.” —Sir Michael Howard, author of War and the Liberal Conscience

“This is a bold book, a brave book, and a worthy primer for the essential study of where we go from here.” —The Times (London)

[The Shield of Achilles] will be one of the most important works in international relations published during the last fifty years.” –Sir Michael Howard, author of War and the Liberal Conscience

“This is a bold book, a brave book, and a worthy primer for the essential study of where we go from here.” –The Times (London)

“We are all about to have our view of the world turned upside down by this superb book.”–Chris Patten, The Guardian (UK)

“An extraordinarily sophisticated and comprehensive survey of war, peace, and nationhood. . . . Bobbitt has made a valuable contribution to wider understanding of how the world really works.”–The Dallas Morning News

“Remarkable. . . An audacious, massively informed analysis of the nature of the modern state and of modern war.”–Richard Overy, Literary Review

“A blockbuster on the history and future of the modern state. . . I defy you to read this and claim your understanding has not been enriched.”–Adam Roberts, The Independent (UK)

“Awe-inspiring. An alarming glimpse of our future. . . argumentative, opinionated, brilliant. . . A triumph.”–Evening Standard

“One of the key texts at the birth of the new century.”–Philip Ziegler

“Wide-ranging, ambitiously conceived, and intelligently argued. . . . Bobbitt’s future scenarios are based on an intelligent and cautiously realistic extrapolation of current security and political developments. We ignore them at our peril.”–The Times Literary Supplement (UK)

“Remarkable. . . Breathtaking in its range of reference, forcefully written.”–London Review of Books

“Fascinating. . . This book will certainly stimulate a needed discussion of America’s foreign policy.”–Christian Science Monitor

“Immensely and deliberately provocative. . . A passionate and worthy effort to make sense of what is clearly a brand new world.”–New York Sun

“Detailed and provocative. . . . A valuable and intriguing look at where we have been and where we are going.”–Booklist

“A brilliant, disquieting essay on geopolitics, warfare and the future of the state. . . . Few historical studies are as daring and engaging as this.”–Kirkus Reviews

Philip Bobbitt teaches constitutional law at the University of Texas, where he holds the A.W. Walker Centennial Chair. He was formerly the Anderson Senior Research Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford, where he was a member of the Modern History faculty. He was later the Marsh Christian Fellow in War Studies at King's College, London. He has served as associate counsel to the president for intelligence and international security, legal counsel to the Senate Select Committee on the Iran-Contra Affair, the counselor on international law at the Department of State, as well as director of intelligence, senior director for critical infrastructure, and senior director for strategic planning at the National Security Council. He has written several books on nuclear strategy, social choice, and constitutional law. He lives in Austin, Washington, and London.