Peace and War: A Theory of International Relations

by Raymond Aron, Paul Thompson

Peace and War by Raymond Aron is one of the greatest books ever written on international relations. Aron's starting point is the state of nature that exists between nations, a condition that differs essentially from the civil state that holds within political communities. Ever keeping this brute fact about the life of nations in mind and ranging widely over political history and many disciplines, Aron develops the essential analytical tools to enable us to think clearly about the stakes and possibilities of international relations. In his first section, "Theory," Aron shows that, while international relations can be mapped, and probabilities discerned, no closed, global "science" of international relations is anything more than a mirage. In the second part, "Sociology," Aron studies the many ways various subpolitical forces influence foreign policy. He emphasizes that no rigorous determinism is at politics―and thus the need for prudent statesmanship―are inescapable in international relations. In part three, "History," Aron offers a magisterial survey of the twentieth century. He looks at key developments that have had an impact on foreign policy and the emergence of what he calls "universal history," which brings far-flung peoples into regular contact for the first time. In a final section, "Praxeology," Aron articulates a normative theory of international relations that rejects both the bleak vision of the Machiavellians, who hold that any means are legitimate, and the naivete of the idealists, who think foreign policy can be overcome. This new edition of Peace and War includes an informative introduction by Daniel J. Mahoney and Brian C. Anderson, situating Aron's thought in a new post-Cold War context, and evaluating his contribution to the study of politics and international relations.

Genres: Politics, International Relations, Nonfiction, Philosophy, History, Academic, War

846 pages, Paperback

Published April 28, 2003

About the author

Raymond-Claude-Ferdinand Aron (French: [ʁɛmɔ̃ aʁɔ̃]; 14 March 1905 – 17 October 1983) was a French philosopher, sociologist, journalist, and political scientist.
He is best known for his 1955 book The Opium of the Intellectuals, the title of which inverts Karl Marx's claim that religion was the opium of the people – Aron argues that in post-war France, Marxism was the opium of intellectuals. In the book, Aron chastised French intellectuals for what he described as their harsh criticism of capitalism and democracy and their simultaneous defense of Marxist oppression, atrocities, and intolerance. Critic Roger Kimball[2] suggests that Opium is "a seminal book of the twentieth century." Aron is also known for his lifelong friendship, sometimes fractious, with philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.[3]
He is also known for his 1973 book, The Imperial Republic: The United States and the World 1945-1973, which influenced Zbigniew Brzezinski and Henry Kissinger, among others.
Aron wrote extensively on a wide range of other topics. Citing the breadth and quality of Aron's writings, historian James R. Garland[4] suggests, "Though he may be little known in America, Raymond Aron arguably stood as the preeminent example of French intellectualism for much of the twentieth century."

Reviews

[Marc Lamot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book (in the original French edition) when I was 24 and it completely changed the way I looked at international politics, impressing the need to take a much more realistic stance in the world of powerplay. Obviously it is very outdated by now (first edition in 1962), but to me it remains the basic introduction to the harsh but fascinating realities of international relations. Especially the stress on geostrategic elements still is relevant. And Raymond Aron (1905-1983) also stylistically was a superb writer.

[Dermot Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a dense difficult chore of a book. Aron is undoubtedly an intellectual power house. But his delivery makes engagement with the book incredibly difficult. I would not recommend one read this book for pleasure (as I did).

That being said, there is no doubt that this is a work of incredible depth and with several layers and strands if thought intertwined.

I will for sure return to this book as I have with Clausewitz's 'On War' for it is certainly of a substantive nature that merits a re-reading.

[Isabela Moreira Kulak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma leitura obrigatória aos estudantes e amantes das relações políticas internacionais. Um livro denso e técnico que abrange a natureza humana e os fenômenos que causam conflitos entre os Estados. Aron é conhecido pelo seu liberalismo e humanismo, e por ser um crítico contundente dos regimes totalitários marxistas. Nessa obra, pode-se observar como o autor defende que o sistema internacional é anárquico pois todos os Estados são soberanos. Também abrange a noção subjetiva do poder e o conceito de potência. Deve-se ter em mente que a primeira edição foi publicada em 1962, quando o mundo era outro, entretanto continua sendo um guia teórico importante para as RI.
Na minha opinião, a escrita do autor é complexa e um pouco arrastada. Tem que ser lido com calma e um caderno para anotar os pontos mais relevantes ajuda, considerando que são quase 1000 páginas de pura teoria política.

[Sense of History]

Outstanding introduction to geopolitics and diplomatic history. Perhaps outdated now, but it made a lasting impression on me, 35 years ago.

[Denise DeRocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The definitive work of a brilliant man...

[Felipe Feitosa Castro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente livro, maravilhosa tradução.

Deveria ser amplamente lido. Tenho poucas coisas pra dizer de uma obra tão incrível, tão bem construída, escrita e traduzida. Clássicos são clássicos.

Além de todos os motivos possíveis, pelo grande estudo e interpretação que poucas outras pessoas tiveram de Clausewitz, ler Aron, mesmo discordando, é um exercício que deveria ser feito e refeito com certa frequência por todos e todas que pretendem compreender as relações políticas e sociais que afetam as nações e unidades internacionais.

[Alejo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very complete book in the subject of IR, each of its chapter has (or may have) at least one book that complements it. Highly recommended for Cold War buffs like me.