War and Peace: On the Principle and the Constitution of the Rights of Peoples

Proudhon's anarchist theory of international relations, a 19th-century vision of what might have been and could still be. War and Peace by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, originally published in 1861, is still one of the only extended accounts of anarchist international theory and is one of the earliest in the history of socialist thought. It is a profound contribution to the traditions of jus gentium and just war theory, that puts force and power at the centre of analysis. Alex Prichard’s introduction describes both its specificity and the multiple lines of influence War and Peace had on thinkers as diverse as Tolstoy, Sorel, French sociology more broadly, and post-1945 Anglo-American International Relations theory. Of Proudhons best books, War and Peace is the least well known in the English-speaking world. This first English translation will open up both our understanding of Proudhons mature works as well as a window on mid-nineteenth century international relations and the history of international thought. Sharkeys rich and faithful translation, and Prichards scholarly introduction and annotations, bring this book to life for a new, (post)modern audience. This is still one of the only extended accounts of anarchist international theory in history and is one of the earliest in the history of socialist thought. Prichards introduction describes both its specificity and the multiple lines of influence it had, on writers as diverse as Tolstoy, Sorel, French sociology more broadly, and post-1945 Anglo-American International Relations theory. "War and Peace by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, originally published in 1861, is still one of the only extended accounts of anarchist international theory and is one of the earliest in the history of socialist thought. It is a profound contribution to the traditions of jus gentium and just war theory, that puts force and power at the centre of analysis. Alex Prichard's introduction describes both its specificity and the multiple lines of influence War and Peace had on thinkers as diverse as Tolstoy, Sorel, French sociology more broadly, and post-1945 Anglo-American International Relations theory"-- Provided by the publisher