Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
A World in Disarray summary
Richard Haass
American Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Old Order
18 mins
Brief summary
A World in Disarray by Richard Haass is an analysis of the current state of global politics and the challenges facing the international system. It offers insight into the forces driving change and potential strategies for navigating an uncertain future.
Table of Contents
A World in Disarray
Summary of 7 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 7
Our relative post-war stability resulted from balanced power and the threat of nuclear war.
If you look back at history, it appears that World War Two was followed by a long, relatively peaceful period. But such apparent calm wasn’t the result of a sudden pacifist turn among world leaders. More accurately, during the Cold War era, which lasted from 1947 to 1991, a global balance of power prevented active conflict.
For instance, the North Atlantic Treaty allied North American countries with a set of European nations, all of which decided to cooperate militarily through NATO. This agreement meant that an attack on any one of these nations was an attack on them all, a fact that deterred military action from outside the coalition.
Not just that, but following the war, the United States implemented the Marshall Plan. This package of economic support for the countries of Western Europe, particularly France, Germany and the United Kingdom, was intended to insulate these countries from the growing influence of the communist Soviet Union.
The power balance achieved through these military and financial agreements acted as a major bulwark against all-out war. When the Soviet Union blocked road and rail access into West Berlin in 1948 due to disagreements about how the divided city should be run, no combat ensued despite the dramatic stand off. Instead, Western countries launched a series of supply drops into the city, with hundreds of planes flying over East Germany and into West Berlin daily.
However, the greatest safeguard against armed conflict was the existence of nuclear weapons, which significantly reduced the military ambitions of the two major power blocs, the United States and the USSR. After all, both countries recognized that a nuclear confrontation would be unconscionably destructive, and were therefore highly motivated to avoid any direct altercation.
But this balance of power and the threat of nuclear destruction weren’t the only factors that contributed to stability. In the next blink, we’ll take a look at some other key elements that maintained global peace during this period.
Want to see all full key ideas from A World in Disarray?
Key ideas in A World in Disarray
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is A World in Disarray about?
A World in Disarray (2017) is an overview of the major transformations in global politics since World War Two. These blinks describe an evolution from a non-interventionist order of nation states to one of globalization and international involvement.
A World in Disarray Review
A World in Disarray (2017) by Richard Haass paints a comprehensive picture of the contemporary global landscape and emphasizes the urgent need for international cooperation. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- By dissecting key global challenges and offering thoughtful analysis, it provides valuable insights into the complexities of our interconnected world.
- The author's expertise as a former diplomat and president of the Council on Foreign Relations adds credibility to his assessments and recommendations.
- Through the exploration of various case studies, the book prompts critical thinking and invites readers to reflect on their own perspectives and potential solutions.
Best quote from A World in Disarray
If nuclear weapons had never been developed, one could make a plausible case that the Cold War would not have stayed cold.
—Richard Haass
Who should read A World in Disarray?
- Diplomats and politicians interested in foreign policy
- Students of international relations, history and politics
- Historians interested in the wars of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries
Categories with A World in Disarray
Book summaries like A World in Disarray
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
31 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
A World in Disarray FAQs
What is the main message of A World in Disarray?
A World in Disarray explores the challenges and complexities of today's global order, offering insights for navigating our turbulent world.
How long does it take to read A World in Disarray?
The reading time for A World in Disarray varies depending on the reader, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is A World in Disarray a good book? Is it worth reading?
A World in Disarray is worth reading for its thought-provoking analysis and emphasis on the importance of understanding global dynamics.
Who is the author of A World in Disarray?
The author of A World in Disarray is Richard Haass.
What to read after A World in Disarray?
If you're wondering what to read next after A World in Disarray, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Trial of Henry Kissinger by Christopher Hitchens
- Hue 1968 by Mark Bowden
- The Next Decade by George Friedman
- Presidents of War by Michael Beschloss
- A Passage to India by E. M. Forster
- The 3-Minute Rule by Brant Pinvidic
- The Future of Humanity by Michio Kaku
- The Republic by Plato
- Indistractable by Nir Eyal
- Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell