War or peace | Contradictions everywhere you look

Brilliant! Anyone who wants to understand what's going on in the world should read this book. In just 160 pages (plus nine pages of notes), an impressive, fact-based analysis is presented—objective and genuinely gripping. "Too many cooks spoil the broth"? This common proverb is refuted. Peter Wahl, Erhard Crome, Frank Deppe, and Michael Brie didn't simply contribute their own chapters; at least, that's no longer apparent. It is, in fact, a "collective text," as stated in the foreword. "Drafts were discussed in several video conferences and a one-day in-person editorial meeting, and then commented on again via email."

Everything is constantly reviewed and re-examined, both in terms of content and language, which are interconnected. Imagine the amount of work involved in arriving at such a precise and plausible assessment! This was made all the more difficult by the upheavals unfolding before our eyes, upheavals whose general trend is predictable, yet which also contain unforeseen details. Take, for example, the foreign policy of Donald Trump, whose "personality-driven style... oscillates between megalomania, reason, political kitsch, vulgarity, facts and fakes, realism and bold pronouncements. Contradictions abound!" But despite all this, the authors believe the USA will remain a "superpower," contradicting assessments that were more wishful thinking.

"Enlightened Realism" as a Method: With the vision of a peaceful world in mind, the authors initially focused on a sober analysis of the current situation, which forms the basis for determining the strategy and tactics of left-wing politics. "Understanding Upheavals in the International System"—this first chapter alone is extremely important because we are still far from the "global society" we would like to see. Even if one doesn't like it, "the control of power resources results in a hierarchy in the international system," which is subject to conflict. An internationalist standpoint, which seeks to avoid wars and promote international cooperation at both the governmental and non-governmental levels, faces new challenges.

It is always enlightening how historical, economic, and geopolitical contexts are invoked in this regard. The historically unprecedented role of the Global South, China's rise to superpower status, the "geopolitical decline of the West," and "Russia's renaissance as a great power" are indeed already reflected in the respective gross domestic product, especially when valued according to purchasing power parity. These are shifts in power, but they also have their limits and harbor dangers.

The war-promoting factor of capitalism should not be underestimated.

The text explicitly warns against the national arrogance that traditionally targets everything Eastern in the West and is currently increasingly accompanied by militarization. "World power status" for Germany, which is now "at the bottom of the growth rankings"? Laughable, but seriously: the "war-mongering factor of capitalism" should not be underestimated.

"With its 'turning point,' Germany is reviving the devastating traditions of its history. The new federal government is pushing ahead with rearmament in order to underpin its claim to leadership militarily." This is likely to meet with resistance from many EU member states. And domestically, "with increased military spending, stagnant real wages, persistent inflation and rising rents, job losses in the automotive industry, and massive austerity programs—including in higher education—criticism and resistance will gain momentum: on the one hand from trade unions, and on the other hand from left-wing political parties." It is feared that "the growing dissatisfaction among the electorate" will initially benefit "right-wing extremist and right-wing populist-nationalist" forces. All the more reason, then, for the left to rediscover its strength.

This volume cannot be a "party program," the preface states. Yet the final chapter, "Controversies in the Peace Movement," offers ample material for discussion: What does the universality of human rights mean? Is there such a thing as "left-wing bellicism"? What stance can one take on national sovereignty, the right to self-determination, and separatism? These are difficult questions that the authors attempt to address concretely, while acknowledging that the UN Charter and international law, which are meant to be a universal standard, are often upheld only as long as they serve the interests of the respective states.

Something that shouldn't be, but is – how should one talk about it? The authors not only reject the widespread resentment born of powerlessness, but also largely avoid the tone of justified outrage with which people vent their frustrations without changing anything. "Enlightened realism" – although it must be clear that we on the left draw strength precisely from ideals. On the other hand, it can be observed how mental militarization exploits the pursuit of good. All the more reason, then, for "knowledge and rational understanding" to be a "precondition for mature moral decisions."

The authors offer many arguments for a peace movement that is up-to-date and are also aware of the "power of emotions", which "peace policy must address much more strongly" in order to reach "not only the minds, but also the hearts of people".

Peter Wahl/Erhard Crome/Frank Deppe/Michael Brie: World Order in Transition. War and Peace in a Multipolar World. Papyrossa, 171 pp., paperback, €14.90. Event tip: Conference "A Turning Point Without End. World Orders Between Hegemony and Shared Responsibility," with Frank Deppe, Erhard Crome, and Stefan Bollinger, among others, November 7, from 3 p.m., Helle Panke, Kopenhagener Str. 9, Berlin.

Book presentation at the literary salon with Erhard Crome at FMP1, November 26, 6 p.m., Franz-Mehring-Platz 1, Berlin.