Synopsis:
E.H. Carr's Twenty Years' Crisis is a classic work in International Relations. Published in 1939, on the eve of World War II, it was immediately recognized by friend and foe alike as a defining work in the fledgling discipline. The author was one of the most influential and controversial intellectuals of the twentieth century. The issues and themes he develops in this book continue to have relevance to modern day concerns with power and its distribution in the international system.
Michael Cox's critical introduction provides the reader with background information about the author, the context for the book, its main themes and contemporary relevance. Written with the student in mind, it offers a guide to understanding a complex, but crucial text.
Review:
'Apparently overtaken by events in the very days of its first publication, Carr's Twenty Years Crisis has never been more pertinent to the discussion of international relations than it is to-day: in a world beset by the twin extremes which he excoriated, a craven and short-sighted realism on the one hand, and an unanchored and irresponsible idealism on the other, Carr's astute arguments should be central to our analysis of, and response to, the world of the twenty-first century.' - Fred Halliday
'The Twenty Years' Crisis is one of those books that somehow never goes out of date. It brings into sharp focus a lot of the core questions that anyone grappling with the complexities of International Relations needs to confront, and it sets a standard of clarity and vigour of prose that has few competitors in the contemporary IR literature.' - Professor Barry Buzan, University of Westminster
'...now is the time to relaunch The Twenty Years' Crisis as a basis for rethinking the problem of world order in a time of greater complexity and uncertainty. [Carr's] exposure of the power relations underlying doctrines of the harmony of interests is especially pertinent to a serious understanding of the ideology of globalization today, while his careful discussion of the need to balance power and morality warns against the hypocrisy of contemporary great-power crusading.' - Professor Robert Cox, Emeritus Professor, York University, Canada
'In the 20th century E.H. Carr was one of the most original and interesting thinkers about international relations. Carr's insights into the nature of international affairs warrant attention. Everyone interested in international politics should read this book.' - Robert Gilpin, Eisenhower Professor Emeritus of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University
'the net influence of the book...is mischievous.' - Norman Angell
'brilliantly reasoned.' - R.W. Seton-Watson
'A brilliant, provocative and unsatisfying book.' - Martin Wight
'Carr is the consummate debunker who was debunked by the war itself.' - Arnold Toynbee
'Professor Carr has shown the entire inadequacy of Professors Zimmern and Toynbee: who will demonstrate the entire inadequacy of Professor Carr?' - Richard Crossman
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