This book is divided into three parts: Part I on European exceptionalism, Part II on the global conflagration that lasted from 1914 to 1945, and Part III that points to the current hotspots.
Part III cannot be told without the histories in Parts I and II, which serve as an exhaustive introduction. Although these first two parts are certainly interesting as a brief content of history spanning from Cortez, one of the conquerors of the New World, to the flight of the author’s parents after WWII, where the book more or less begins; yet, it is Part III that is of concern here, in which the contemporary hotspots are exposed.
The hotspots in Europe after WWII are multiple and have everything to do with the borders of nation-states, with language borders (even Flanders versus Wallonia is briefly discussed), with the landscape, and with the seas. There follow extensive discussions of a strengthening Germany, a weakening France, an economically solid Turkey, and a crumbling Great Britain.
In the conclusion, the ambivalent attitude of Europe is outlined: “Present-day Europe wants to possess everything, without paying for it. It wants permanent peace and prosperity. It wants to maintain national sovereignty, but without these sovereign states fully exerting their sovereignty. Europeans want to be one people but not share each other’s fate. They want to speak their own language but refuse to acknowledge that this will be a barrier to mutual understanding. They want to triumph but not take risks. They want absolute security but are unwilling to defend themselves.”
About George Friedman
George Friedman is a renowned geopolitical forecaster and strategist. He is the founder and chairman of Geopolitical Futures, a platform dedicated to analyzing and forecasting international events and trends. Before establishing Geopolitical Futures, Friedman was chairman of Stratfor, a leading private intelligence and forecasting firm.
Friedman is the author of several influential books on geopolitics, including "The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century," "The Next Decade: What the World Will Look Like," "Flashpoints: The Emerging Crisis in Europe," and "The Storm Before the Calm: America's Discord, the Coming Crisis of the 2020s, and the Triumph Beyond." His work focuses on understanding the underlying forces that shape global political, economic, and military dynamics.
He frequently contributes to various media outlets and provides in-depth analysis and commentary on contemporary geopolitical issues. His expertise is widely recognized, and he continues to influence the field of geopolitical forecasting and analysis.
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Manu works at the Flemish Government in risk management and Business Continuity Management. On this website, he shares his own opinions regarding these and related fields.
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