The Twenty Years' Crisis
Encyclopedia
The Twenty Years' Crisis': 1919-1939 is a book on international relations
written by Edward Hallett Carr (usually known as E. H. Carr). The book was written in the 1930s shortly before the outbreak of World War II
in Europe and the first edition was published in September 1939, shortly after the war' s outbreak. Carr published a second edition in 1945. In the revised edition, Carr did not "re-write every passage which had been in someway modified by the subsequent course of events", but rather decided "to modify a few sentences" and undertake other small efforts to improve the clarity of the work. The text is considered a classic in International Relations
theory, and is often dubbed one of the first modern Realist texts, following in the fashion of Thucydides and Machiavelli. Carr's analysis begins with post-Great War optimism, as embodied in the League of Nations declarations and various international treaties aimed at the permanent prevention of military conflict. He proceeds to demonstrate how rational, well-conceived ideas of peace and cooperation among states were undermined in short order by the realities of chaos and insecurity in the international realm. By assessing the military, economic, ideological and juridical facets and applications of power, Carr brings harsh criticism to bear on utopian theorists and others inclined to imagine that lofty rhetoric conditions state behavior more forcefully than the exigencies of survival and competition.
Carr does not, however, consider the prospect of human improvement a lost cause. At the end of "The Twenty Years' Crisis" he actually advocates for the role of morality in international politics, and suggests that unmitigated Realism amounts to a dismal defeatism which we can ill afford. The sine qua non of his analysis is simply that in the conduct of international affairs, the relative balance of power must be acknowledged as a starting point.
He concludes his discussion by suggesting that "'elegant superstructures’ such as the League of Nations ‘must wait until some progress has been made in digging the foundations’, perhaps a reference to the Marxist base and superstructure
model.
, Tim Dunne
and Ken Booth. In the introduction to that work, the authors write that "many of the arguments and dilemmas in Carr's The Twenty Years' Crisis are relevant to the theory and practice of international politics today". In that same volume, the authors go on to say that the book "is one of the few books in the 80 years of the discipline which leave us nowhere to hide."
The response to Carr has not been, however, entirely positive. Caitlin Blaxton criticized Carr's moral stance in the work as "disturbing". Scholars have also criticized Carr for his presentation of the so-called realist-idealist conflict. According to Peter Wilson
, "Carr's concept of utopia .. is not so much a carefully designed scientific concept, as a highly convenient rhetorical device.". Conversely, rather than attempt to critique Carr with the benefit of hindsight, Stephen McGlinchey states that Carr's analysis of events in The Twenty Years Crisis was significant and timely within its context, particularly in its critique of the League of Nations.
The complexities of the text have recently been better understood with a growing literature on Carr including books by Jonathan Haslam, Michael Cox
and Charles Jones
.
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
written by Edward Hallett Carr (usually known as E. H. Carr). The book was written in the 1930s shortly before the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Europe and the first edition was published in September 1939, shortly after the war' s outbreak. Carr published a second edition in 1945. In the revised edition, Carr did not "re-write every passage which had been in someway modified by the subsequent course of events", but rather decided "to modify a few sentences" and undertake other small efforts to improve the clarity of the work. The text is considered a classic in International Relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
theory, and is often dubbed one of the first modern Realist texts, following in the fashion of Thucydides and Machiavelli. Carr's analysis begins with post-Great War optimism, as embodied in the League of Nations declarations and various international treaties aimed at the permanent prevention of military conflict. He proceeds to demonstrate how rational, well-conceived ideas of peace and cooperation among states were undermined in short order by the realities of chaos and insecurity in the international realm. By assessing the military, economic, ideological and juridical facets and applications of power, Carr brings harsh criticism to bear on utopian theorists and others inclined to imagine that lofty rhetoric conditions state behavior more forcefully than the exigencies of survival and competition.
Carr does not, however, consider the prospect of human improvement a lost cause. At the end of "The Twenty Years' Crisis" he actually advocates for the role of morality in international politics, and suggests that unmitigated Realism amounts to a dismal defeatism which we can ill afford. The sine qua non of his analysis is simply that in the conduct of international affairs, the relative balance of power must be acknowledged as a starting point.
He concludes his discussion by suggesting that "'elegant superstructures’ such as the League of Nations ‘must wait until some progress has been made in digging the foundations’, perhaps a reference to the Marxist base and superstructure
Base and superstructure
In Marxist theory, human society consists of two parts: the base and superstructure; the base comprehends the forces and relations of production — employer-employee work conditions, the technical division of labour, and property relations — into which people enter to produce the necessities and...
model.
Responses to Carr
Since its publication, The Twenty Years' Crisis has been an essential book in the study of international relations. It is still commonly read in undergraduate courses, and the book is considered "one of the founding texts of classical realism". The book has served as the inspiration for numerous other works, such as The Eighty Years' Crisis, a book written by the International Studies Association as a survey of trends in the discipline, edited by Michael CoxMichael Cox (academic)
Michael E. Cox is a British academic and international relations scholar. He is currently a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics , where he is Co-Director of LSE IDEAS...
, Tim Dunne
Tim Dunne
Tim Dunne is a British scholar of international relations. He was previously professor of International Relations and Head of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Exeter, UK. He has recently taken up a post as Research Director of the at the , Australia. As a theorist, Dunne has...
and Ken Booth. In the introduction to that work, the authors write that "many of the arguments and dilemmas in Carr's The Twenty Years' Crisis are relevant to the theory and practice of international politics today". In that same volume, the authors go on to say that the book "is one of the few books in the 80 years of the discipline which leave us nowhere to hide."
The response to Carr has not been, however, entirely positive. Caitlin Blaxton criticized Carr's moral stance in the work as "disturbing". Scholars have also criticized Carr for his presentation of the so-called realist-idealist conflict. According to Peter Wilson
Peter Wilson
Peter Wilson may refer to: * Peter Wilson , Scottish-born American footballer in the 1890s and early 1900s* Pete Wilson , American baseball pitcher...
, "Carr's concept of utopia .. is not so much a carefully designed scientific concept, as a highly convenient rhetorical device.". Conversely, rather than attempt to critique Carr with the benefit of hindsight, Stephen McGlinchey states that Carr's analysis of events in The Twenty Years Crisis was significant and timely within its context, particularly in its critique of the League of Nations.
The complexities of the text have recently been better understood with a growing literature on Carr including books by Jonathan Haslam, Michael Cox
Michael Cox (academic)
Michael E. Cox is a British academic and international relations scholar. He is currently a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics , where he is Co-Director of LSE IDEAS...
and Charles Jones
Charles Jones
-Arts, architecture, scholarship:* Charles Jones , Ealing's first architect, engineer and surveyor* Charles Jones , gardener and photographer* Chuck Jones , American animator, director, and producer...
.