World Order

Henry Kissinger examines the roots of international harmony and global disorder in World Order. Drawing on his experience as a senior statesman who advised presidents and shaped major foreign policy events, Kissinger analyzes the central challenge of the twenty-first century: building a shared international order amid divergent historical perspectives, violent conflict, advancing technology, and ideological extremism. Kissinger argues that no true world order has ever existed. Throughout history, civilizations developed their own concepts of order, each viewing itself as the world's center. China created a global cultural hierarchy with the emperor at its peak. Europe, after Rome's fragmentation, developed a concept of equilibrium among sovereign states. Early Islam considered itself the world's sole legitimate political unit, destined to expand globally. The United States was founded on the conviction that democracy is universally applicable. Today, international affairs occur on a global basis, and these historical concepts of world order intersect. Every region participates in high-policy questions affecting others, often instantaneously. Yet major actors lack consensus on the rules, limits, and ultimate destination of this process, creating mounting tension. Kissinger guides readers through crucial recent episodes, including Nixon administration negotiations over Vietnam, Reagan's debates with Soviet Premier Gorbachev in Reykjavík, and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. He addresses U.S.–China relations, the European Union's evolution, nuclear negotiations with Iran, the Arab Spring, and tensions with Russia over Ukraine.