Table of Contents

1. Political order; 2. Justice, solidarity, and order; 3. Why do order form?; 4. Why do order breakdown? 5. The United States: self-interest; 6. The United States: fairness vs. equality; 7. Britain; 8. China with Martin Dimitrov; 9. Conclusions.

Promotional Information

Presents a new theory of the rise, evolution, decline, and collapse of political orders, exploring the impact of late-modernity upon the survival of democratic and authoritarian regimes.

About the Author

Richard Ned Lebow is Professor of International Political Theory in the Department of War Studies, King's College London and Bye-Fellow of Pembroke College, University of Cambridge. He has authored, co-authored, or edited 34 books and over 250 peer reviewed articles and chapters. He has made contributions to the fields of international relations, political psychology, history, political theory, philosophy of science and classics.

Reviews

'A continuation of a well-established intellectual demonstration by one of the world's leading political theorists, this book strengthens the ties between its predecessors, Tragic Vision and Cultural Theory, to form a historically informed and complex tripartite theory of order as one main aspect of human political strife. Lebow's understanding dwells on his decades of study on the relationship between classical wisdom and modern social science – erudition and playfulness thus come together to constitute a strong and original statement for political understanding and action. Thought-provoking, challenging, and important.' Christian Wendt, Freie Universität Berlin

'The Rise and Fall of Political Orders is an excellent book in its own right and a fine conclusion to the trilogy of works Lebow began with 2003's The Tragic Vision.The book is wide ranging in breadth and depth, powerfully written, and well served by its sustained focus on the animating tensions that propel but also threaten modern political orders. Lebow argues a convincing and timely case in favour of an all too fragile and imperfect liberal-democratic order that has evolved to support human flourishing.' Seán Molloy, University of Kent