The Unconquerable World: Power, Nonviolence, and the Will of the PeopleA visionary work that explores the limits of violence and charts an unexpectedly hopeful course toward a nonviolent future 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, and provocative book that points the way out of the unparalleled devastation of the twentieth century toward another, more peaceful path. Tracing the relentless 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 the great nonviolent events of modern times—from Gandhi’s independence movement in India to the explosion of civic activity that brought about the surprising collapse of the Soviet Union—suggest foundations of an entirely new kind on which to construct an enduring peace. As Schell makes clear, all-out war, with its risk of human extinction, must cease to play the role of final arbiter. The Unconquerable World is a bold book of global significance; far from being utopian, it offers the only realistic hope of safety. |
Contents
The Towers and the Wall | 1 |
VIOLENCE | 11 |
The Rise and Fall of the War System | 13 |
Nuclear War | 47 |
Peoples War | 63 |
NONVIOLENCE | 101 |
Satyagraha | 103 |
Nonviolent Revolution Nonviolent Rule | 143 |
THE CIVIL STATE | 233 |
The Liberal Democratic Revival | 235 |
Liberal Internationalism | 265 |
Sovereignty | 280 |
THE SHAPES OF THINGS TO COME | 303 |
Niagara | 305 |
The Logic of Peace | 332 |
Notes | 389 |
Other editions - View all
The Unconquerable World: Power, Nonviolence, and the Will of the People Jonathan Schell Limited preview - 2004 |
The Unconquerable World: Power, Nonviolence, and the Will of the People Jonathan Schell No preview available - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
abolition absolute war American Arendt arms army battle Bodin Bolsheviks bomb British called China civil Clausewitz Cold Cold War collapse colonial communist Constitution conventional cooperative power created decision defeat democracy deterrence Eastern European empire England English Europe fact fight force foundation France freedom French French Revolution Gandhi global goal guerrilla Hannah Arendt Havel human Ibid imperial independence India indivisible JONATHAN SCHELL King leaders League liberal liberal democracy liberal internationalism living in truth logic mass destruction means ment military minority missiles modern movement nonviolent action Northern Ireland nuclear arsenals nuclear terror nuclear weapons Pakistan Parliament Party peace people's people's war political president principle question quoted regime republic revolutionary rule Russia satyagraha self-determination society South Africa sovereign sovereignty Soviet Union strategy territory terror tion totalitarian treaty Trotsky twentieth century United victory Vietnam violence wars weapons of mass Wilson words wrote York