Anthony Pagden Books

The differences that divide West from East go deeper than politics, deeper than religion, argues Anthony Pagden. To understand this volatile relationship, and how it has played out over the centuries, we need to go back before the Crusades, before the birth of Islam, before the birth of Christianity, to the fifth century BCE. The wars between East and West have not only been the longest and most costly in human history, they have also formedthe West's vision of itself as independent, free, secular, and now democratic. They have shaped, and continue to shape, the nature of the modern world.

This general introduction to European history, seen through the lens of `Empire', visits the well-known and recognisable. Thus Pagden's story begins in Greece, visits the Romans, embraces the Spanish and Portuguese empires, touches on the issues of slavery and race and ends with a brief discussion of globalisation at the end of the 20th century. Eminently readable, with a chronology, an interesting bibliography and potted notes on key figures, this would be a useful reader for anyone new to the subject.

Focusing on the evolution of human society, the book explores the transition from traditional nation-states to a complex web of inter-state networks and organizations. It addresses how current global challenges, such as climate change and terrorism, require collaborative solutions beyond single-state capabilities. The narrative suggests the emergence of a cosmopolitan order and new forms of governance, advocating for the potential of global federation to foster a more harmonious and equitable future for humanity.

The story of the evolution of the 'European project', from the end of the Napoleonic Wars through to Brexit, this is also the story of how, and why, it become possible to imagine that the diverse peoples of Europe might be united in a single political community