Realpolitik
John Bew, Realpolitik: A History (Oxford University Press, 2016)
Summary: Deftly traces the history of the concept of realpolitik, from the 1848 European revolutions to Henry Kissinger. More an intellectual and biographical exploration, rather than a strategic or geopolitical examination of the key events.
Key Quote: "Today, the invocation of realpolitik tends to denote a posture or a general intuition, and a suspicion of grand schemes. Those who use it know what they stand against. Arguably, they are less sure-footed about an alternative strategy of their own. But the original concept...was a means of analysis—a way of understanding power and politics—rather than a meditation of the responsibilities that come with it." - p. 297
Bottom Line: Read this book if you think the world is a chessboard.
