Swords Into Plowshares: The Problems and Progress of International Organization

by Inis L. Claude Jr.

hardback book

514 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Chris Duval · Rating 3 out of 5]

The prose is sometimes klutzy in the way of academics, witness: "Aside from the ultimate unattainability of absolute predictability in this sphere, a good case can be made for the undesirability of the kind of automation in foreign policy which collective security postulates.” To be fair, it is occasionally relieved by folksy metaphor.

The author is opinionated, generally favoring the role the United Nations has taken on, though chastising the U.S. and the (former) Soviet Union for their departures from the ideal. He feels efforts in collective security, international federalism and disarmament are misplaced.

At times the book seemed dated in its focus on Cold War duality, and this feeling of lowered relevance persists notwithstanding Russia’s latest venture in the Crimea.

The appendices with their texts of the League covenant, the U.N. charter and the North Atlantic Treaty were more valuable in pre-Internet days.

I learned from the book, but less than I had hoped.

[Tibet Gyaltsen]

i like it