Blackburn, The West and The World Since 1945

Abstract

The brief history of the world since the end of the Second World War is organized around four topics. "The Cold War and Its Legacy" deals mainly with the Soviet-American rivalry and its impact on the rest of the world "The Wealthy Nations" describes the recent evolution, successes, and problems of America, Western Europe, and Japan. "The Developing Nations and the Poor Nations" discusses the decolonization process and the political, economic, and social development of the "third world" countries. "Intellectual and Spiritual Issues in a Technological Age" surveys a range of topics from the problems of science and technology, through the conflict of democracy and totalitarianism, to the strengths and weaknesses of contemporary religious movements. While most of the book is devoted to recent history, the author also broaches the many questions of contemporary politics, economics, and social policy.