New Thinking And Old Realities: America, Europe And Russia

The "new thinking" is that of Gorbachev; the "old realities" are those of interstate relations, and the strength of the book, beyond its distinguished authors, lies in reminding us that, for all the changes, the future is still imprinted by the past. John van Oudenaren, for instance, recalls that Gorbachev was chosen not because he was a revolutionary but because there was no other logical choice; he began with a weak position. Josef Joffe sees in German and Soviet policy a natural convergence, which began before unification and continues after. For different reasons, both nations seek a transformation of the European system away from blocs-though not too rapidly.