Savage Century: Back to Barbarism (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) [Hardcover]

Therese Delpech (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 087003233X | ISBN-13: 978-0870032332 | Publication Date: April 18, 2007

At the dawn of the twentieth century, observers heralded a new era of social progress, seemingly limitless technological advances, and world peace. But within only a few years, the world was perched on the brink of war, revolution, and human misery on an unprecedented scale. Is it possible that today, in the early twenty-first century, we are on the verge of similar, tumultuous times? Blending a detailed knowledge of international security affairs with history, philosophy, psychology, and literature Thérèse Delpech vividly reminds us of the signs and warnings that were missed as the "civilized" world failed to prevent the world wars, Holocaust, Soviet death camps, and Cambodian killing fields that made the twentieth century so deadly. Drawing a parallel between 1905 and 2005, Delpech warns that it could happen again in this current era of increasing international violence and global lawlessness. She looks ahead to imagine various scenarios and regions that could provide flashpoints in the future.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Thérèse Delpech's Savage Century is a book of passion and reason." --Peter Brooks, Sterling Professor of Comparative Literature, Yale University

"Thérèse Delpech, one of France's foremost thinkers on international security, has dared what historians no longer attempt" --Josef Joffe, Publisher-Editor, Die Zeit

"Delpech has one of the freshest, most forceful, most disciplined intellects in the world, especially on the subject of what kind of world it is and where it is heading." --Strobe Talbott, President, Brookings Institution

Review

" Savage Century is a book of passion and reason: a bold study of the sources of global political savagery, and a fierce argument against repeating the mistakes that have led to our dire straits." —Peter Brooks, Sterling Professor of Comparative Literature, Yale University

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 232 pages
• Publisher: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (April 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087003233X
• ISBN-13: 978-0870032332
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #352,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Are we dangerously close to another period of savage world wars?, April 11, 2008

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B. Case "InquiringMind" (Redondo Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Savage Century: Back to Barbarism (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) (Hardcover)

"Savage Century: Back to Barbarism," by Thérèse Delpech, poses the question: What are the worldwide political parallels between 1905 and 2005, and do these similarities suggest that we are, once again, dangerously close to another period of savage world wars? The author makes a convincing argument that the answer is yes.

Thérèse Delpech is director for strategic studies at the Atomic Energy Commission of France and French Commissioner at the UN for the disarmament of Iraq. The original French version of the book, "L'Ensauvagement," won the prestigious 2005 Prix Femina de L'essai. This English translation missed getting a four-star rating from me because I found it frequently very difficult to understand. On just about every page there were sentences that I needed to read over and over again trying to decipher what the author meant, and for many other sentences I was never able to comprehend what the author was trying to convey. I assumed that the problem was the translator, not the author.

I found many of her parallels between 1905 and 2005 eloquent and arresting, but it was toward the end of the book when she was discussing possible political futures for the year 2025 that my interest really piqued. Among many other predictions for 2025, the author suggests these two that I found particularly alarming: 1) the disintegration of Pakistan; 2) a significantly stronger and self-confident India in a military conflict with an economically and socially weakened China--an India that would have no trouble destroying the Chinese fleet in the Strait of Malacca.

Delpech's point of view is decidedly European. As an American, I found it interesting to expose myself to this different perspective on past, present, and future world affairs. When the author makes it clear that she believes that the United States is out of control, I cannot disagree with her, and found it interesting to see that point well argued.

This book is recommended for persons interested in international relations.