The Unconquerable World

"This book mounts perhaps the most impressive argument ever made that there exists a viable and desirable alternative to the continued reliance on war." -"The New York Times"
At times of global crisis, Jonathan Schell's writings have offered important alternatives to conventional thinking. Now, as conflict escalates around the world, Schell gives us an impassioned, provocative book that points the way out of the unparalleled devastation of the twentieth century toward another, more peaceful path.
Tracing the expansion of violence to its culmination in nuclear stalemate, Schell uncovers a simultaneous but little-noted history of nonviolent action at every level of political life. His investigation ranges from the revolutions of America, France, and Russia, to the people's wars of China and Vietnam, to the great nonviolent events of modern times-including Gandhi's independence movement in India and the explosion of civic activity that brought about the surprising collapse of the Soviet Union.
Suggesting foundations of an entirely new kind on which to construct an enduring peace, "The Unconquerable World" is a bold book of sweeping significance.
Jonathan Schell, the author of several works, including "The Time of Illusion," "The Fate of the Earth," and "The Village of Ben Suc," has been a contributor to "The Nation," "The New Yorker," "Harper's," and "Foreign Affairs," and has taught at Wesleyan, Princeton, and Emory, among other universities. He lives in New York.
At times of global crisis, Jonathan Schell's writings have presented influential alternatives to conventional, dead-end thinking. His classic bestseller, "The Fate of the Earth," was hailed by the "New York Times" as "an event of profound historical moment." Now, as the world stands once more on the brink of upheaval, Schell reenters the fray with a lucid, impassioned, provocative book that points the way out of the unparalleled devastation that marked the twentieth century toward another, more peaceful path.
Tracing the unlimited expansion of violence to its culmination in nuclear stalemate, Schell uncovers a simultaneous but little-noted history of nonviolent action at every level of political life. His historical journey turns up seeds of nonviolence even in the bloody revolutions of America, France, and Russia, as well as in the people's wars of China and Vietnam. And his investigations into familiar history--from Gandhi's independence movement in India to the explosion of civic activity that brought about the unpredicted collapse of the Soviet Union--suggest foundations of an entirely new kind on which to construct an enduring peace.
At a time when all-out war, with its risk of human extinction, must cease to play the role of final arbiter, "The Unconquerable World," a bold book of global significance, offers the only realistic hope of safety.
" Schell] argues that what we are witnessing today is nothing less than the end of armed conflict as we know it. The 'war system' that long pitted nations against one another is dying, undone by politics and the development of ever more potent weapons. A new, nonviolent approach to politics is about to take its place . . . The vision he paints of his imagined future is a glorious one."--Jonathan D. Tepperman, "The New York Times Book Review"
"Undoubtedly "The Unconquerable World" is Mr. Schell's most ambitious, and over time will be regarded as his most significant, work. Although it can be read as a timely and provocative commentary on the militarization of American foreign policy during the Bush presidency, its concerns run far deeper, challenging the strong linkage between national security and war that has dominated both political consciousness and international relations for centuries. . . The book mounts perhaps the most impressive argument ever made that there exists a viable and desirable alternative to a continued reliance on war and that the failure to seize this opportunity will bring catastrophic results to America and the world . . . The most fascinating portions of the book present Mr. Schell's evidence for rethinking history from a nonviolent perspective, arguing that dramatic and unpredictable changes have often been managed without a violent challenge to the established order . . . Mr. Schell brilliantly depicts some of the great revolutionary upheavals, including the Glorious Revolution in England, as well as the French and Russian Revolutions from this angle, showing that these revolutions were themselves mainly nonviolent and that it was only their aftermaths that turned out to be bloody."--Richard Falk, "The New York Times"
" Schell] argues that what we are witnessing today is nothing less than the end of armed conflict as we know it. The 'war system' that long pitted nations against one another is dying, undone by politics and the development of ever more potent weapons. A new, nonviolent approach to politics is about to take its place . . . The vision he paints of his imagined future is a glorious one."--Jonathan D. Tepperman, "The New York Times Book Review"
"Jonathan Schell has long since established himself as a source of courageous thinking, eloquently articulated, on the most dangerous and important of subjects. Every decade or so he produces a masterpiece, and "The Unconquerable World" is one for the new century. This book makes the case that the ancient dream of the obsolescence of war could finally become achievable, thanks to the evolution of national and international politics. That vision of the future is rooted in a disciplined yet bold reading of history and of current trends. The book is not so much a prediction as a prescription--and a challenge--to today's leaders, and tomorrow's."--Strobe Talbott, President of the Brookings Institute
"In "The Unconquerable World," Schell leads us through his argument (not an analysis, which is passive, but an argument, loaded with energy) using an impressive backing