With a history spanning three thousand years, China has spent at least eleven centuries at war. The Roman Empire was in conflict for at least fifty percent of its existence. Since 1776, the United States has spent more than a hundred years at war. The dream of peace has been universal throughout human history. Why have we so rarely been able to achieve it? In "A Political History of the World," Jonathan Holslag offers a comprehensive account of world history, from the Iron Age to the present, examining the causes of conflict between empires, nations, and peoples, as well as attempts at diplomacy and cosmopolitanism. This bird's-eye view of three thousand years of history illuminates the forces shaping world politics, from Ancient Egypt to the Han Dynasty, from the Pax Romana to the rise of Islam, from the Peace of Westphalia to the founding of the United Nations. This truly global approach allows Holslag to search for patterns across eras and regions and explore larger questions about war, diplomacy, and power. Has trade contributed to peace? What are the limits of diplomacy? How does environmental change affect stability? Is war a universal sin of power? At a time when the threat of nuclear war looms again, this book offers a much-needed history for students of international politics and anyone seeking background information on current events. Intertaal, your trusted supplier, guarantees fast delivery of this valuable resource.