War and Change in World Politics: Change and Continuity in World Politics

摘要: The basic assumption of this study has been that the nature international relations not changed fundamentally over millennia. Believing past is merely prologue and present does have a monopoly on truth, we drawn historical experience insights numerous earlier writers. Although purpose to understand political change, it also assumed an underlying continuity characterizes world politics: history Thucydides provides today as did when was written in fifth century B.C. One must suspect if somehow were placed our midst, he would (following appropriate short course geography, economics, modern technology) little trouble understanding power struggle age. This affairs states challenged by much recent scholarship field relations. Contemporary changes technology, human consciousness are said transformed very International actors, foreign- policy goals, means achieve goals experienced decisive benign changes; nation-state receded importance, welfare displaced security highest priority societies, force declined effective instrument foreign policy. witnesses, fact, curious tension between prevailing mood public pessimism current