Immanuel Wallerstein

The intellectual left has been largely adrift since the fall of communism. Some illusions having collapsed with the Berlin Wall, many liberals have sought vainly for some substantial support for their instinctive beliefs.

Wallerstein, a distinguished historian and sociologist who teaches in Paris and New York and a champion of the left in the Marxist tradition, seeks to provide some of that intellectual buttressing. He calls for the rejection by the left of liberalism, which he sees as a failed centrist tactic. Rational reform on the basis of liberal assumptions of continued economic growth is no longer sustainable, he argues. This collection of his articles between 1991 and 1995 details his ideas for a radically decentralized and democratized approach to replace liberalism.

Wallerstein started out as a specialist in African politics, but since the 1970s he has been known for his books on the "modern capitalist world-system." His latest work is a collection of recent essays examining the rise and fall of liberalism as the organizing principle of the modern world-system.

According to Wallerstein, the period from 1789 to 1989 represents the era of economic and political liberalism. From this perspective, the collapse of communism and the Soviet bloc marks not only the end of Marxism-Leninism but also the unraveling of liberal ideology, which is incapable of responding effectively to the antistatism of contemporary political movements. Wallerstein argues that we are now entering a period of transition that "will be a time of systemic disorder, disintegration, and acute political struggle about what kind of world system(s) we shall construct." If he is correct, then even the most stable of societies should brace themselves for a period of social turbulence and economic uncertainty. Wallerstein's provocative and far-ranging thesis will undoubtedly generate heated debates among scholars and graduate students.

Kent Worcester, Social Science Research Council, New York

To All Activists--Read This Book!!!5 stars

Reviewed on 2001-03-11

I read this book for a college course, and I must say that it is a great book. It outlines not only the problems with how political action has worked in the past, but also gives insight into what may need to be done to create a sustainable future. I find myself referencing this book all the time.

Enlightening Experience5 stars

Reviewed on 2009-02-04

This book really opened my eyes and explained so many things that I had a hard time understanding them before. I always had issues with the concept of "human rights" and did not really know how to explain my problem with this concept. I knew those who advocated the concept of "human rights" they really didn't mean democracy for ALL and they are using this concept to advance their purposes. But my feelings were more intuitional. This book opened my eyes and explained the concept of modernity/world system/democracy/human rights. I am planning to read all of Wallerstein's books. I would love to read something from this author regarding the current financial crisis. I still don't know what to do, but at least I have a better understanding of the problem. I recommend this book to all those people who are seeking knowledge to better analyze today's world and want to create a world who value human integrity and justice.

Not a light read4 stars

Reviewed on 2004-10-28

Wallerstein's ideas can certainly be thought-provoking and even entertaining. In this regard, 'After Liberalism' does not disappoint. But the text jumps around from one theme to another, leaving us with a rather hazy argument as to what might be coming 'after.' If you are to undertake an adventure with Wallerstein of this kind I would recommend 'The Essential Wallerstein' over this book.

Understanding world,people and social life4 stars

Reviewed on 1999-04-13

Some books help us in understanding some key concepts.Exactly 'After Liberalism' is one of these,and Wallerstein serves a very different view to the reader in solving complex problems of internatinal relations and even daily life.

Korean 1996

Spanish 1996

Japanese 1997

Italian 1999

French 1999

Chinese 2001

Arabic 2002

Portuguese 2002

Russian 2003

Serbian 2006