Paix et guerre entre les nations

by Raymond Aron

Dissuasion, subversion, persuasion. Ce sont les trois concepts qui désignent les composantes principales des diplomaties-stratégies. Au terme de son enquête, Raymond Aron tente de définir la morale de l'action diplomatique, la stratégie qui donne la meilleure chance de sauver la paix sans sacrifier la liberté. Enfin, en un exercice de pensée utopique, il cherche les conditions de paix par la loi.
En 1962, lorsque cet ouvrage paraît, ces conditions ne sont pas réalisées et la paix se résume à l'absence ou à la limitation des guerres. L'analyse de Raymond Aron prend place en pleine guerre froide et explicite les rapports de force qu'impose l'arme nucléaire détenue par quelques puissances militaires.
C'est aussi une réflexion sur le devenir de l'humanité.

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

794 pages, Paperback

Published September 6, 2006

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]

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]

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]

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.

[Pappy Lew-Cas]

60 ans plus tard.
visionnaire mais sans savoir que le communisme allait disparaítre et que le fanatisme religieux allait faire basculer le monde et les rapports de force.
Écrit en un temps où la France avait encore des dirigeants dignes de nom et fonctionnait.

[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]

The definitive work of a brilliant man...

[Felipe Feitosa Castro]

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]

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.