The Century of Total War

Boston, MA: Beacon, 1955. Reprint. Fourth printing, 1960. Trade paperback. Good.. [2], 379, [3] pages.; 22 cm. Occasional footnotes. Index. Highlighting/underlining. Cover has some wear and soiling. Some pencil and ink marks and comments noted. Raymond Claude Ferdinand Aron (14 March 1905 - 17 October 1983) was a French philosopher, sociologist, journalist, and political scientist. He is best known for his 1955 book The Opium of the Intellectuals, the title of which inverts Karl Marx's claim that religion was the opium of the people - Aron argues that in post-war France, Marxism was the opium of the intellectuals. In the book, Aron chastised French intellectuals for what he described as their harsh criticism of capitalism and democracy and their simultaneous defense of Marxist oppression, atrocities, and intolerance. Aron is also known for his lifelong friendship, sometimes fractious, with philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. Aron wrote extensively on a wide range of other topics. Citing the breadth and quality of Aron's writings, historian James R. Garland suggests, "Though he may be little known in America, Raymond Aron arguably stood as the preeminent example of French intellectualism for much of the twentieth century." Excerpt from KIRKUS REVIEW: A leading political commentator in France addresses the international scene in this century on the origin and, meaning of war. His thesis will not be accepted without some resentment here for he argues that America is greatly at fault, both in World Wars I and II and the Cold War as well, that we must assume more realistic attitudes towards the economic necessities of the Asiatic nations and our European allies. He strongly urges cessation of our struggle for power with the Soviet Union; it is here to stay and we invite a third world war en route to human unity by our threats of Atomic War, our blindnesses. He finds, too, unprofitable the modern tendency to re--examine the motives of statesmen and decisions in times past, deploring it as adolescent and time-consuming. Not palatable reading, but a challenge to those who take time to consider.