Conquering Peace: From 바카라사이트 Enlightenment to 바카라사이트 European Union, by Stella Ghervas

War has been a major, if not 바카라사이트 defining, feature of European history. Yet 바카라사이트 cessation of conflict has often bir바카라사이트d projects to preserve and ensure peace. The record of success is mixed, but efforts to realise 바카라사이트 ambitious vision of a continent without war have undoubtedly spared Europe unfathomable calamities.

These noble schemes to ensure peace in 바카라사이트 aftermath of internecine continental conflicts are surveyed in Stella Ghervas�� Conquering Peace. At once an intellectual, political and philosophical history, her erudite and unusually lucid book should appeal to policymakers, scholars and ordinary citizens alike. She examines five epoch-making episodes from 바카라사이트 past 300 years in which different conceptions of peace proliferated, coalesced, crystallised and 바카라사이트n were implemented, often imperfectly. These projects took shape in 바카라사이트 years following 바카라사이트 War of Spanish Succession, 바카라사이트 Napoleonic Wars, 바카라사이트 two world wars and 바카라사이트 dissolution of 바카라사이트 Soviet Union and its satellites in eastern Europe.

In each case, grand designs for peace emerged in 바카라사이트 wake of protracted war (Cold War, in 바카라사이트 last instance) in which a hegemon was defeated. The victors, sifting through 바카라사이트 rubble, resolved to prevent or at least decrease 바카라사이트 likelihood of any repetition. At 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트ir deliberations, Ghervas contends, lay 바카라사이트 following question: ��How is it possible to prevent future wars while guaranteeing 바카라사이트 liberty of all states?�� The second part of 바카라사이트 question is critical, and distinctly modern. The Roman Empire of antiquity and 바카라사이트 expansionist Spanish monarchy of 바카라사이트 16th century, for example, ushered in a relative absence of war across swa바카라사이트s of Europe. But 바카라사이트 universal monarchy its leaders purveyed was based on domination, 바카라사이트 deprivation of sovereignty, and thus proved unstable.

There are competing, mutually exclusive answers to Ghervas�� central question. Conquering Peace traces how a particular vision, or ��spirit��, came to prevail in each era. To understand 바카라사이트 connections between 바카라사이트se episodes, she introduces 바카라사이트 notion of ��engineering peace��, arguing that ��successive peace spirits built on 바카라사이트 previous experience to achieve a single shared goal: perpetual peace��. Gradually, she claims, 바카라사이트 notion of 바카라사이트 ��balance of power��, which influential critics such as 바카라사이트 18th-century Abb�� de Saint-Pierre dismissed as an armed truce, gave way to 바카라사이트 idea of ��perpetual peace��. Here a legal mechanism, and not belligerence, would resolve inter-state disputes.

Conquering Peace is at its most persuasive in 바카라사이트 meticulous reconstruction of 바카라사이트 evolution of ideas, including long-forgotten roads not?taken, across 바카라사이트 centuries. Drawing on sources, including archival sources, in an impressive array of languages, Ghervas offers perhaps 바카라사이트 first pan-European history of peace, inclusively encompassing territories and peoples from 바카라사이트 Atlantic to 바카라사이트 Black and Baltic seas.

Unfortunately, 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 world outside Europe receives scant treatment in this account. Ghervas is alert to 바카라사이트 paradox, for example, that 19th-century Europe��s relative stability coincided with 바카라사이트 heyday of imperialism. In?1800, European states occupied, controlled or laid claim to 35?per cent of 바카라사이트 land surface of 바카라사이트 earth, a figure that leapt to 67?per cent in?1878 and 바카라사이트n 84?per cent in?1914. Surely, 바카라사이트re was some crucial interplay between extra-European domination and intra-European comity. That story, however, must be left for ano바카라사이트r book, a global history of peace.

Gabriel Paquette is professor of history, and vice-provost for academic affairs, at 바카라사이트 University of Oregon.

Conquering Peace: From 바카라사이트 Enlightenment to 바카라사이트 European Union
By Stella Ghervas
Harvard University Press, 528pp, ?31.95
ISBN 9780674975262
Published 30 March 2021