World Order: Reflections on the Character of Nations and the Course of History

The subject of balance of power is a central theme of Kissinger’s World Order as the title suggests. The author acknowledges from the onset that what constitutes a world order is a complex question and that no perfect order exists. Kissinger seeks objectivity by examining the different types of regional orders and grounds them in the history and geography of each continent. His goal is to arrive at an optimal global order despite all the drawbacks.

One way to help the establishment of such an order is to use political realism, focus on one’s respective national interests, and suspend moralizing when it comes to competing value systems for the sake of a consensus. Another way is to use international organizations like the United Nations Security Council, UNSC, to arrive at compromises when it comes to contested issues. Another way yet is to focus on procedure rather than substance independent of a particular country’s ideology or form of leadership. All these aspects are typically associated with the Westphalian order. The Peace of Westphalia, Kissinger argues, was revolutionary. Designed to end the devastating Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), this series of agreements redefined international relations in Europe by focusing on the state as the basic unit of power and by prioritizing procedures.