World Politics : Trend and Transformation (with International Relations Interactive CD-ROM and InfoTrac)

Rating:
Summary: Memorable Textbook
Review: I read an earlier paperback edition of this textbook for my class in Intl. Relations at Northwestern University in 1987. Somehow it was misplaced since then, but I never forgot it. My 15 year old son has expressed an interest in learning more about the world than what he is fed in school, so I ordered a new copy, and now he's reading it. The book covers all aspects of the post WWII world order, which still governs most of what takes place today.

My only complaint about this text, and why I did not give it five stars, is that it seems to be a bit idealistic about what can be done to solve the world's problems. As a student, I actually believed that diplomacy, the UN, other NGO's etc. could substantially change the tendency toward using violence to solve disputes. And that reducing north-south inequality was an important key to this. East-west tensions were supposed to be reduced by negotiation. While that has been true to a small degree, the past 20 years have been shaped by nations acting in their own economic and military self-interest and a sharp rise in sectarian violence. And the cold war was won by the West economically, not by some negotiated settlement with communism. The end of the cold war also unleashed dozens of formerly quiescent nationalist movements.

I don't think Kegley and Wittkopf address these issues adequately. They don't take into account basic human nature and historic inevitability of conflict. Also, the push for impossible north-south equality and first world guilt is annoying. Trade is far better than aid. Many many more countries in the south are moving from dependency to industrialization, reducing the legacy of colonialism, and hence the importance of north-south wealth transfers.

Still, the ideals behind attempts to move toward a more benevolent world order are worth pursuing, and this book is an excellent introduction of those concepts. It's important to keep the authors' bias in mind, however, because history has not been kind to idealists. (Even in the fictional 24th century "United Federation of Planets," there are still wars to be fought.)

Regardless of these shortcomings, this book was a vital part of my education. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!
Review: What a dry, dry read. I want international politics to be interesting with powerful examples. Not the case with this book. Not only that, it is distinctly biased toward the left with constant shots at George Bush. Whether you like him or not, this is not the kind of information I would expect from a text like this. Not worth your money or time. If this book is required reading for a class, drop the class. Your time is better spent elsewhere.