Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order
RobertÂKagan
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ISBN: 1400034183
Format: Paperback, 176pp
Pub. Date: JanuaryÂ2004Publisher: Vintage Books
Barnes & Noble Sales Rank: 18,896
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ABOUT THE BOOK
ÂFrom the Publisher
"European leaders, increasingly disturbed by U.S. policy and actions abroad, feel they are headed for what the New York Times (July 21, 2002) describes as a "moment of truth". After years of mutual resentment and tension, there is a sudden recognition that the real interests of America and its allies are diverging sharply and that the trans-atlantic relationship itself has changed, possibly irreversibly. Europe sees the United States as high-handed, unilateralist, and unnecessarily belligerent; the United States sees Europe as spent, unserious, and weak. The anger and mistrust on both sides are hardening into incomprehension." This past summer, in Policy Review, Robert Kagan reached incisively into this impasse to force both sides to see themselves through the eyes of the other. Tracing the widely differing histories of Europe and America since the end of World War II, he makes clear how for one the need to escape a bloody past has led to a new set of transnational beliefs about power and threat, while the other has perforce evolved into the guarantor of that "post-modern paradise" by dint of its might and global reach.
ÂSynopsis
"The task," pronounces neoconservative columnist Kagan in his apologia for empire, "for both Europeans and Americans, is to readjust to the new reality of American hegemony." Expanded from an article that appeared in Policy Review, this book-length essay examines the different perspectives Americans and Europeans have on international relations, arguing that European expectations of peace and a system of laws are only possible because of the naked use of American power. While serving as a guarantor of the European paradise, Kagan says, the United States cannot enter it, serving instead as a lonely guardian walking the walls of paradise. Annotation Â2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
ÂFrom The Critics
The New York Times
A veteran of four years in the State Department, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the author of several books and articles, Kagan demonstrates a confidence and authority that demand serious attention. To disagree with his theses is not to argue against the importance of his essay. On the contrary, generating an intelligent and focused debate is a major function of such works. The true measure of Kagan's small book is that it is hard to imagine any future serious discussion of trans-Atlantic relations or America's role in the world without reference to it. â Serge Schmemann
Library Journal
This slim work by Kagan (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) ought to be required reading within the Bush administration as it attempts to patch together a multinational coalition to unseat Saddam Hussein. In a beefed-up version of his seminal 2002 article in Policy Review, Kagan argues that the United States and Europe no longer inhabit the same universe where power politics is concerned. Power, then, lies at the heart of the transatlantic culture war. Americans have it-making them a target and priming them to use it to address foreign threats. Europeans don't have it, and, judging by their trifling defense budgets, don't want it. Operating from a "psychology of weakness," says Kagan, Europeans place their faith in diplomacy, international law, and international institutions-both to come to grips with the Saddams of the world and to rein in what they see as the excesses of the world's remaining superpower. It behooves American officials to try to bridge this gap in perspectives. This brilliant and controversial work belongs in all library collections.-James R. Holmes, Univ. of Georgia Ctr. for International Trade & Security, Athens Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Former diplomat and current conservative think-tanker Kagan (A Twilight Struggle: American Power and Nicaragua, 1996) rehashes an argument he originally offered in 2001 in 'Policy Review'. That argument goes like this: During the Cold War, the developed world fell into two camps, one dominated by the US, the other by the Soviet Union. The former had need "to preserve and demonstrate the existence of a cohesive âWest,â " and so political divisions between, say, Germany and the US tended to be muted, at least on an official level. Though it begs for a united front of defense, todayâs common enemy--Islamic fundamentalism--does not demand the same coherence, which allows Europe to turn away from superpower big-stick formulas, to move "beyond power into a self-contained world of laws and rules and transnational negotiation and cooperation." The US, conversely, is settling into its role as the worldâs sole superpower, able to accomplish at least some of its tasks in the "anarchic Hobbesian" world by virtue of its military might. Europe, of course, benefits from this situation, even while clucking its tongue and attempting to "control the behemoth by appealing to its conscience," which Kagan considers to be a pretty good strategy that usually works. The upshot? Interpretations may vary, but Kagan offers a genteel solution for both sides: Europe should let us do what we must to keep the peace, recognizing that "we have only just entered a long era of American hegemony." And America shouldnât try to bully Europe into accepting the unpalatable, and perhaps even listen to our putative allies from time to time. Though heâs capable of concocting a memorable sound bite, Kagan develops his nuancedargument with an appreciation for why Europeans are not now lining up alongside us to give Saddam a good thrashing. Good reading for policy wonks who missed the original article, of a piece with recent arguments for the virtues of American imperialism.
Customer Reviews
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Christopher G. Sheeron, Congressional aide / GWU student, JanuaryÂ7,Â2004,
Provocative essay on the current state of the transatlantic relationship
Robert Kagan's treatise on the current state of transatlantic relations provides a refreshing and unique insight into the troubling situation in which America and Europe navigate through today. By outlining the philosophical ideologies of Kant and Hobbes and the historical events that shaped the current anarchic system of the world, Kagan rightly observes the liberal and realist approaches to international affairs as the dividing point between the 'paradise' of Europe and the 'power' of the United States. Although I disagree with many of his views, Mr. Kagan does an excellent job of shining much needed light on this dormant issue which will surely be a defining point not only for the future of the United States and the rest of the powerful 'West', but for the entire foreign affairs community as well.
Also recommended:ÂDiplomacy - Dr. Henry A. Kissinger; Globaphobia: Confronting Fears About Open Trade - Gary Burtless, et al
A reviewer, A reviewer, OctoberÂ1,Â2003,
such a small book, but still too many pages
I would summarize the book as: Europe wants peace because they don't have a big army, and because the US does, we can do what we please, right or wrong. One page would have been enough.
G. Tanner ([EMAIL PROTECTED]), a reader, SeptemberÂ25,Â2003,
Good book for reference purposes
Good book, but not a great one. It's more of an essay that illustrates some obvious differences between 'post-modern' Europe and the United States. Could have been more than it was.
Also recommended:ÂSee No Evil..., Sleeping With The Devil...,Terror and Liberalism
Brian ([EMAIL PROTECTED]), political science junkie, JuneÂ5,Â2003,
Fantastic Read
Kagan, has done a superb job in detailing the differences as well as the similarities between the United States and Europe. It is a chilling reminder of what brought us together, and is a stark reality of what is tearing us apart. The only problem with the book is that it is to short.
Also recommended:ÂProfiles of Courage, The Threatening Storm
A reviewer, an IT professional in SiliconValley, MayÂ9,Â2003,
Stunning, balanced, and thought-provoking analysis
Kagan presents a well-researched and thorough analysis of the differences between the United States and Europe. If you ever wondered why these two always seem to be at polar opposites these days, this book will explain it to you. It presents it in both the historical and contemporary contexts. It's a very quick read too. You may not like the conclusions he draws about either the US or the Europeans, but he has hit the nail on the head in his assessment of both. He shows the good, the bad, the ugly, and the feckless about both sides, with brutal honesty. This little book has an enormous impact - I am still stunned by his lucid and balanced look at both sides of the Atlantic.
