The Great Illusion

A Study of the Relation of Military Power to National Advantage

Norman Angell

Recommended By

Book Reviews

One of Peter Thiel's favorite books.

Book Synopsis

"The Great Illusion" by Norman Angell is a groundbreaking work that challenges the prevailing belief in the inevitability of war and questions the economic basis for military power.

Angell asserts that conflicts between modern nations have shifted from the pursuit of territorial gains to the protection of economic interests. He argues that war has become an uneconomic and irrational means to achieve these objectives and that nations are interconnected through trade and finance, making it futile and harmful to engage in armed conflicts.

By examining historical events and economic data, Angell highlights the interconnectedness of nations and emphasizes that aggression and conquest no longer yield economic benefits. He contends that military capabilities are increasingly becoming a financial burden, diverting resources from productive economic activities.

Angell further presents the idea that armed conflicts are detrimental to domestic prosperity, as they result in destruction and economic inefficiencies. He challenges the notion of military superiority as a reliable measure of power, asserting that economic strength and cultural influence are more significant determinants of a nation's standing in the international arena.

"The Great Illusion" provokes readers to rethink commonly-held beliefs about warfare and encourages peaceful alternatives for resolving disputes among nations. Angell's compelling arguments and evidence-based analysis make this book essential reading for those seeking a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between economics and war in the modern world.

Explore More Books

See All
The Scout Mindset
The British Are Coming
The Great Convergence
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
The Power To Compete
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Competitive Strategy
Blink
Believe Me
Idoru
No Ordinary Time
Hard Landing
The Status Syndrome
Open
Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits
The Complete Stories
Mao
Contrarian Investment Strategies
Andy Goldsworthy
Kill It With Fire
Queen of Fashion
Joy on Demand
Leadership and Self-Deception
Upheaval
Atlas Shrugged
Debt
Status Anxiety
Exponential Organizations
Fortitude
Dataclysm
The Godfather
The Blazing World
Tribe
Lost in Shangri-La
Dear Leader
Seeker
Awakening Joy
Stalingrad
The God Delusion
The Gene
Revolution in The Valley
Iacocca
The Little Book of Common Sense Investing
The World That Wasn't
Lasker's Manual of Chess
Thai Stick
The Lights in the Tunnel
Prosperity
Against Empathy
The Constitutional Convention
The World For Sale
Walk in Their Shoes
The Ultimate Resource 2
The Future Is Faster Than You Think
Shadow Divers
Wake Up to the Joy of You
The Story of Civilization: The Age of Faith
The Yellow Pad
The Line Becomes a River
One Summer
Ender's Game
The Peacemaker's Code
The Rise of Superman
Value-added Measures in Education
Without a Doubt
Consolations
The Storytelling Animal
Dune Messiah
The New One
The Tyrrany of Guilt
The Man Who Solved The Market
The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind
The Idea Factory
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Undoing Project
The Red Decade
Stumbling on Happiness
Midnight In Chernobyl
Patient Capital
Destined For War
Oscar
The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali
Delivering Happiness
The Bottomless Well
I Heard God Laughing
My Inventions
If I Could Tell You Just One Thing
The Making of a Philosopher
The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers
The Laws of Thermodynamics
Ham on Rye
The Legend of Henry Ford
Francis Crick
The One Sentence Persuasion Course
The New Science of Strong Materials
Rise of the Robots
1984
Einstein's Mistakes
Losing The Signal
The Watchman's Rattle