From Monthly Review, John Bellamy Foster on The Imperialist World System. From Radical Notes, an article on Globalisation and Primitive Capital Accumulation. A suggestion for the well-meaning souls preparing to heed Jeffrey Sachs' call. This year, before donning a plastic wristband and heading for the agreed march route, why not buy a copy of The Bottom Billion by Paul Collier? Daniel Drezner on The Power of the State in a Global Economy (and more on Drezner). Harvard's Robert Rotberg on Improving Nation-State Governance. If there is one thing upon which members of group of eight industrialised states can agree, it is that they do not want to allow any new members into their elite club. It was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration at the G8 meeting. But suddenly, it turned into a war with anarchists battling it out with police. Almost 1,000 people were injured. But what went wrong?
From Demokratizatsiya, Graeme Gill (Sydney): Nationalism and the Transition to Democracy: The Post -Soviet Experience. The best and worst of Russia's present mind-set was on full display in the weeks leading up to May 9, when Russia celebrates its victory over Nazi Germany. Russia's wars in Chechnya, which the Kremlin says are over, have shaped the country that Russians and the world are now living with. Almost two decades after the fall of communism, a number of Eastern European countries are still struggling to establish stable democracies. From radical right-wingers to authoritarian post-communists, the political landscape lacks a center. Poland's terrible twins: Poland's president and prime minister, former freedom fighters, are reintroducing the habits of authoritarianism. The Baltic Sea's Renaissance: How the region that rings the Baltic has become a 21st century economic powerhouse. Estonia is Under Siege on the Web: A cyber assault on websites in Estonia is a warning to governments and businesses everywhere.
A review of The New Cold War: Revolutions, Rigged Elections and Pipeline Politics in the Former Soviet Union by Mark Mackinnon. Ukrainian democracy might be highly chaotic and immature – but at least it's a democracy. Nevertheless, there's still a lot to do before the country achieves anything like stability. Serbian or not quite Serbian? A review of Realm of the Black Mountain: A history of Montenegro by Elizabeth Roberts. The birthday country: On its first birthday, Montenegro looks reassuringly normal.
From The Globalist, a look at why Ireland's economic boom is no miracle. Geoffrey Wheatcroft reviews Gordon Brown’s Courage: Eight Portraits (and more). A review of Fantasy Island: Waking Up to the Incredible Economic, Political and Social Illusions of the Blair Legacy by Larry Elliott and Dan Atkinson. The call of duty: As Tony Blair said in South Africa today, interventionist policies are often mocked. But our moral duty to help the developing world should be beyond dispute.
From Newsweek, Beyond Bush: Fareed Zakaria on why what the world needs is an open, confident America. Bin Laden, Still Haunting Bush: Al Qaeda had a plan—and it is working. Al-Qaeda’s Waiting Game: Michael Sheuer on how Bush isn’t winning in his battle against our real enemy. A review of The Power of the Vote: Electing Presidents, Overthrowing Dictators, and Promoting Democracy Around the World by Doug Schoen. Containing Iran: An excerpt from Containment: Rebuilding a Strategy Against Global Terror by Ian Shapiro. Michael Kinsley on how supporters of the war think they've outsmarted its opponents. They're wrong. Immanuel Wallerstein on ending the Iraq War: Two competing plans.
