NCJ Number
63492
Date Published
1951
Length
256 pages
Annotation
AN EXAMINATION OF POWER AND TERROR BEGINS WITH THE CONCEPT OF THE NATION-STATE AND CONCLUDES WITH THE ROLE OF CONFLICTING IDEOLOGIES AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE USE OF TERROR.
Abstract
THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE, THE HISTORY AND THE CONCEPT AND RISE OF THE NATION-STATE ARE EXAMINED BRIEFLY BEGINNING WITH CHARLEMAGNE, CONCLUDING WITH A STUDY OF THE IDEA THAT THE STATE SHOULD BE AN EXPRESSION OF THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. ECONOMIC QUESTIONS, AND THE MODERN CONCERN FOR THE INTERACTION OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICS, ARE STUDIED PARTICULARLY IN ADDRESSING THE QUESTION OF HOW THEY PREVENT EUROPEAN UNITY. THE BOOK INVESTIGATES THE MODERN (1951) CRISIS IN WESTERN EUROPE AND THE CLAIMS CONCERNING POWER, PROGRESS, RIGHTS, AND COMPLEX SOCIAL MOVEMENTS MADE BY CONFLICING IDEOLOGIES. THE IDEOLOGIES EXPLORED ARE MARXISM AND ITS CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS, COMMUNISM, CHRISTIANITY AND ITS STRUGGLE AGAINST MATERIALIST PHILOSOPHY, SOCIAL DEMOCRACY, ANARCHISM AS CREATED IN MODERN TIMES BY RUSSIAN ANARCHISTS, AND FASCISM AS LED BY MUSSOLINI AND HITLER. IDEOLOGY ITSELF IS EXAMINED AS IT POINTS TO FORCES AT WORK, INTERPRETS HISTORY AND ALSO LEADS TO EXCLUSIVENESS AND SIMPLIFICATION. THE APPLICATION OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS TO HISTORICAL SITUATIONS SUCH AS GERMANY AND RUSSIA AND TO ACTIONS IN THE STRUGGLE FOR POWER, OFTEN LEADING TO WAR AND TERRORISM IS ALSO STUDIED. THE BOOK CONCLUDES WITH A CALL FOR THE REORIENTATION OF EUROPE AND THE SUBMISSION OF POWER TO THE LAW. MAPS AND AN INDEX ARE INCLUDED. (RFC)