States, Markets and Wars in Global History Economic and Political Developments Between the Advent of Globalization and the COVID-19 Pandemic

This wide-ranging book focuses on the economic and political changes that have taken place between the advent of globalization and the COVID-19 pandemic and assesses how this may bring about a profound reconfiguration of the global political system. Sapelli considers a range of developments in different spheres, from international to national politics, military aggressions, and worldwide political trends such as the rise of populism, to illuminate the moment of neoliberal crisis in which we now live. He argues that Europe and its institutions in particular no longer demonstrate a model of diplomacy and statesmanship, with the rise of technocratic structures and elitism reflecting how an ideal of ‘global convergence’ towards liberalism and democracy no longer holds true. The book then considers how a new international order based on the reason of state can be brought about by global cooperation between the US, Russia and China, along with a return to properly regulated finance and a renewed focus on community in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The book will be of interest to those working in international economics and international relations, as well as academics of economic history and political economy.

Introduction.- 1. The Extraordinary Changes.- 2. The Invertebrate World- 3. Theory for the New World.- 4. The Reason of State and Russia.- 5. Instability.- 6. Growing Global Divergence.- 7. Here We Go Again. - 8. The Syrian Crisis: See Between the Play of Mirrors.- 9. Economic Madness, Technocracies, and the Fable of Energy Transition.- 10. After the City in Capitalism as a Religion.- 11. The Mystical Body of Europe and the Central Banks.- 12. The Return to Moral Economy.- 13. To Conclude (in the global pandemic).