This book explains the period of great power peace in the last fifty years and outlines the path to perpetuating it. Drawing on the Realist tradition and challenging conventional wisdom about the causes of American primacy, Baron explores contributions to peace made by the balance of power, nuclear weapons, democracy and globalization.

Introduction: Seasons of Darkness and Light 1. The Transformation of Great Power Politics 2. A Theory of Order: Explaining Change in International Politics 3. A Season of Light: The Balance of Power and the Westphalian Order 4. A Fifty Years' Crisis: The Collapse of the Westphalian Order and the Path to Total War 5. Dawn of a New Day: The Rise of the American Order 6. Getting MAD and Even: Nuclear Weapons, Bipolarity, and a New Kind of Rivalry 7. Balance of Power and Its Critics: The Limitations of Current Paradigms 8. Preserving Peace in the 21st Century: Thought and Action in a Newly-Ordered World Conclusion: The Need for Vigilance and Sacrifice ?

Joshua Baron is a researcher, lecturer, and consultant on international and interpersonal conflict. He advises groups on how to achieve and maintain healthy levels of conflict. His work has been published by, among others, Harvard Business Review, The Huffington Post, and International Studies Review.