Just Finished Reading: Governing the World – The History of an Idea by Mark Mazower (FP: 2012)

I’m not even going to try to do a decent job of précising this book. It’s impossible. It is absolutely jammed packed with historical and political detail from across the world and over the past 200 years. If you unpacked the work represented here you’d probably be looking at over 40 books worth. As I like to keep my reviews at around one A4 page you see my problem. So, themes & highlights.

It all began, for all practical purposes after briefly mentioning early ideas of Christian or Islamic world union, in 1815 with the defeat of Napoleon and the creation of ‘The Concert Of Europe’ – made up of the major European powers operating together (mostly) to police the peace on the continent to ensure that no one could emerge as a future dictator and plunge everything back into chaos. They failed – as we know – but, for the best part of a century, held things pretty much together. Such a concert of powers became a recurring theme over the next two centuries and as a potential blueprint for a global peace plan. But it was not alone.

The Concert idea was only one amongst many ideals that had been put forward during the long peace. Another thread was that of Commerce and Free Trade which the more idealistic businessmen were convinced would bring disparate peoples together in the mutually beneficial activity of making money. Linked in with this was the more politically charged idea of Empire where European countries ‘acquired’ overseas territories partially to ‘bring civilisation to the natives’ by exploiting their natural resources in part payment for bringing them up to the grade. Associated with Empire was Commonwealth and the concept of Concert writ large with an association of European Powers policing the world in the interests of all. Needless to say that didn’t happen either. Everything changed after the political shattering events of 1917 – The Russian Revolution. Between the wars the twin narratives that drove the world governance debate were International Communism and the much maligned League of Nations. Great hopes resided in each of these forces and, as hopes go, neither lived up to their initial promise. With Communism in the background for much of the 20th century – the fear of a red planet being the driving force behind much of the Wests activities until the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 90’s – the focus of the book shifted to the League and it’s more robust child the United Nations that still exists today. Rather inevitably many more pages are devoted to the UN than to its often forgotten parent organisation. Surprisingly the author maintains that the League was far more effective that it was given credit for – outside the political arena – especially in the foundations of what we would refer to today as NGOs and for laying the theoretical and even philosophical foundations for the UN itself.

The much troubled history of the United Nations actually turns out to be far more interesting than I could have imagined. Mired in Cold War rivalry the Security Council barely functioned (except when the Soviet Union mistaken withdrew which allowed the US to involve the UN in the Korean War) allowed the other functions to come to the fore which enabled smaller countries, smaller groups and loose coalitions to drive through changes the founders left little room for. Added to this was the US relations - running hot and cold as administrations changed and foreign policy dictated – which pushed, pulled and generally warped the UN mission as political fashion dictated. Growing out of this were the hugely influential organisations such as the IMF and World Bank both of which have been equally hailed as saviours and destroyers of progress, freedom and democracy.

As I said to begin with there is a LOT to ponder over, think about and wonder here. The just over 400 page volume is PACKED with information (and that’s before you start digging into the notes section) that could set investigations running in all directions. Witten in a masterfully knowledgeable style it does take some effort to take it all in but the effort is more than worth it. A truly mind, and outlook, expanding book this is a must read for anyone (like me) who is passionate about understanding why the world is the way it is. If you’re on a similar quest to mine then you’ll find this work very enlightening. Very highly recommended.

[I was in two minds about putting this into the R4 category but there was a great deal of focus on the Russian Revolution, Communist China and even the Anarchists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries so I thought it deserved a place in 'deep background' for that area.]