How do things change? The question is critical to the historical study of any era but it is also a profoundly important issue today as western democracies find the fundamental tenets of their implicit social contract facing extreme challenges from forces espousing ideas that once flourished only on the outskirts of society. This books argues that radical change always begins with ideas that took shape on the fringes. Throughout time the "mainstream" has been inherently conservative, allowing for incremental change but essentially dedicated to preserving its own power structures as the dominant ideology justifies existing relationships. In this tour of radical change across Western history, David Potter will show how ideologies that develop in opposition or reaction to those supporting the status quo are employed to effect profound changes in political structures that will in turn alter the way that social relations are constructed.
Not all radical groups are the same, and all the groups that the book will explore take advantage of challenges that have already shaken the social order. They take advantage of mistakes that have challenged belief in the competence of existing institutions to be effective. It is the particular combination of an alternative ideological system and a period of community distress that are necessary conditions for radical changes in direction. The historical disruptions chronicled in this book-the rise of Christianity, rise of Islam, Protestant reformations, Age of Revolution (American and French), and Bolshevism and Nazism--will help readers understand when the preconditions exist for radical changes in the social and political order. As Disruption demonstrates, not all radical change follows paths that its original proponents might have predicted. An epilogue helps situate contemporary disruptions, from the rise of Trump and Brexit to the social and political consequences of
technological change, in the wider historical forces surveyed by the book.
Industry Reviews
"Stimulating...aptly demonstrates that the changes after periods of disruption are not always improvements" -- Times Literary Supplement
"In the tradition of Paul Kennedy's The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers (1987), University of Michigan history professor Potter delivers expert accounts of significant historical transformations, including the rise of both Christianity and Islam and the (in retrospect) ephemeral course of Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany, all of which illustrated three features: disruptive ideas that already existed in the society but in fringe movements; 'repudiation'
of principles of the old system; and a 'group tightly organized around a charismatic leader who saw himself as creating a new political order.' An insightful thesis on how history works, perfect for big
picture buffs." -- Kirkus Reviews
"This fascinating tour of great disruptions in global history is a gem. At a time when the liberal world order is being massively disrupted by new technologies and both radical and nationalist/populist ideas, Potter helps us understand why disruption happens, and how great leadership (or its failure) can lead to healthy innovations or to dangerous upheavals." -- Jack A. Goldstone, author of Revolutions: A Very Short Introduction
"Disruption poses key questions about power, governance, and legitimation, and offers provocative answers. Its sweep--from the Roman Empire to the twenty-first century--is breathtaking, its style engaged and lively. Required reading for our times." -- Catriona Kelly, author of St. Petersburg: Shadows of the Past
"David Potter, drawing on his profound understanding of the classical world, has written a lively, witty, and wholly convincing account of how and why, for over two thousand years, political and social life has changed by moving from one 'disruption' to another. As we, wherever we might be in the world, live increasingly in a state of seemingly perennial disruption, it will be an invaluable guide." -- Anthony Pagden, author of The Enlightenment: And Why It
Still Matters
"This is a great book: informative, interesting, and provocative, in addition to being a real pleasure to read. By using the analytical category of 'disruption' in order to understand the nature of historical change. It provides not only a magnificent overview of two thousand years of history, but also an insightful commentary on the present state of our society and a thought-provoking reflection on our future. David Potter's knowledge, wisdom, and humor make
this book an excellent guide and companion for us as we navigate the disrupted and disrupting times in which we currently live." -- Stefania Tutino, author of Shadows of Doubt: Language and Truth in
Post-Reformation Catholic Culture
