Mark Mazower's acclaimed book recreates two centuries of international government - the struggle to bring order to an anarchic and dangerous world. From the plans for peace that arose out of the Napoleonic Wars to our present institutions, it shows how what started as a European story became the framework for today's world, as free traders, communists, utopians and nationalists all put forward their own radical visions of global harmony.Governing the World brilliantly shows how far ideas of international cooperation have developed, and how our faith in them is now waning. At a time when the UN is widely discredited, American power is diminishing and global finance dominates, can anyone really govern the world?'The preeminent historian of a generation . On rare occasions, a work of history emerges that not only fundamentally refashions our understanding of the past, it enables us to reassess the present and, with luck, influence our future.' Misha Glenny'A prodigious work . A dramatic, novel account of ideas and institutions in collision with hard realities . Profound, relevant, and a pleasure to read.

' Fritz Stern'Mazower is a man of immense erudition . a remarkable book.' Jay Nordlinger, Standpoint'Cosmopolitan, humane, learned, and properly sceptical. Written in clear, elegant prose.' Ian Buruma'A book that needed to be written . truly illuminating . Mazower tells it with authority and verve.' Adam Zamoyski, Literary Review.