The World: A Brief Introduction

The New York Times Bestseller

“A superb introduction to the world and global issues. Richard Haass has written something that is brief, readable, and yet comprehensive—marked throughout by his trademark intelligence and common sense.” —Fareed Zakaria

An invaluable primer from Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, that will help anyone, expert and non-expert alike, navigate a time in which many of our biggest challenges come from the world beyond our borders.

We live in a global era, in which what happens thousands of miles away often affects our lives. Although the United States is bordered by two oceans, those oceans are not moats. And the so-called Vegas rule—what happens there stays there—does not apply. Globalization can be both good and bad, but it is not something that individuals or countries can opt out of. The choice we face is how to respond.

The World focuses on history, what makes each region of the world tick, the many challenges globalization presents, and the most influential countries, events, and ideas, to provide readers with the background they need to make sense of this complicated and interconnected world.

Dr. Richard Haass is president of the non-partisan Council on Foreign Relations. An experienced diplomat and policymaker, he served as the senior Middle East advisor to President George H.W. Bush and as Director of the Policy Planning Staff under Secretary of State Colin Powell. A recipient of the Presidential Citizens Medal, the State Department's Distinguished Honor Award, and the Tipperary International Peace Award, he is also the author or editor of fourteen other books, including A World in Disarray.

CONTENTS
 
PREFACE    xv
 
PART I: THE ESSENTIAL HISTORY       1
From the Thirty Years’ War to the Outbreak of World War I (1618–1914)     5
From World War I Through World War II (1914–1945)      14
The Cold War (1945–1989)      29
The Post– Cold War Era (1989–Present)      43
 
PART II: REGIONS OF THE WORLD       59
Europe     67
East Asia and the Pacific     82
South Asia     97
The Middle East      111
Africa      131
The Americas      143
 
PART III: THE GLOBAL ERA        155
Globalization        159
Terrorism and Counterterrorism        166
Nuclear Proliferation         173
Climate Change      183
Migration      193
The Internet, Cyberspace, and Cybersecurity      201
Global Health       208
Trade and Investment      215
Currency and Monetary Policy      230
Development      240
 
PART IV: ORDER AND DISORDER       251
Sovereignty, Self-Determination, and Balance of Power         257
Alliances and Coalitions      264
International Society                270
War Between Countries                280
Internal Instability and War Within Countries      288
The Liberal World Order      296
 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS      305
WHERE TO GO FOR MORE    309
NOTES     315
INDEX    371