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Curated by Project Syndicate

The Great War Revisited

15 commentaries

On August 4, 1914, Europe eagerly blundered into the slaughterhouse of World War I. One hundred years later, with the nation-state still very much alive and rising powers once again challenging the established global order, what lessons does the Great War offer?

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  1. Europe’s Blast from the Past
    WWI Trenches Wikimedia Commons

    Europe’s Blast from the Past

    Aug 4, 2014 Joschka Fischer worries about the EU's lack of preparedness for the return of power politics.

  2. The Global Security Deficit
    Airport Security hazelisles/Flickr

    The Global Security Deficit

    Jul 25, 2014 Michael Spence warns that political instability and conflict are now the main threat to the global economy.

  3. The Waste of War
    War dead US Army/Korea

    The Waste of War

    Jul 21, 2014 Jeffrey D. Sachs on why global instability today does not have to end as badly as it did in 1914.

  4. The Birth Pains of Arab States
    Palestinians in Support of Statehood Wissam Nassar/ZumaPress

    The Birth Pains of Arab States

    Jul 8, 2014 Shlomo Ben-Ami on why the turmoil in the Arab Middle East is a problem that only Arabs can solve.

  5. The Middle East and the Return of History
    Joschka Fischer  Middle East crisis  Russia aggression on Ukraine and ISIS Christophe Petit Tesson/ZumaPress

    The Middle East and the Return of History

    Jul 1, 2014 Joschka Fischer argues that George W. Bush and Barack Obama must share the blame for the region's growing chaos.

  6. The Return of the Sleepwalkers
    Soldiers in WWI Boston Public Library

    The Return of the Sleepwalkers

    Jun 25, 2014 Dominique Moisi asks whether today's leaders, unlike their counterparts in 1914, can avert a global catastrophe.

  1. nishtar8_AMAURY HAUCHARDAFP via Getty Images_africavaccine Amaury Hauchard/AFP via Getty Images

    Fifty Years of Immunization Success Call for 50 More

    Sania Nishtar touts the remarkable results of global collaboration on routine vaccination and foresees continued progress.
  2. GettyImages-2149550584 Photo by MARK PETERSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

    Trump on Trial

    From a long list of criminal indictments to unfavorable voter demographics, there is plenty standing between presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump and a second term in the White House. But a Trump victory in the November election remains a distinct possibility – and a cause for serious economic concern.

  3. woods56_Alex WongGetty Images_georgieva Alex Wong/Getty Images

    The IMF Chose the Right Leader the Wrong Way

    Ngaire Woods thinks the Fund’s process for selecting its managing director is woefully out of step with today’s world.
  4. bildt122_Mikhail SvetlovGetty Images_trumpputin Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

    Trump Is Putin’s Only Hope Now

    Carl Bildt considers the implications of Ukraine finally receiving the Western military aid it has been waiting for.
  5. frankel159_Getty Images_customer service Getty Images

    How to Rebuild Trust in Public Institutions

    Eleanor Carter & Carolyn J. Heinrich highlight the value of face-to-face interactions at a time when governments are phasing out in-person services.
  6. isenberg1_TIMOTHY A. CLARYPOOLAFP via Getty Images_trumptrial Timothy A. Clary/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

    Is Trump Above the Law?

    Nancy Isenberg

    Contrary to what former US President Donald Trump would have the American public believe, no president enjoys absolute immunity from criminal prosecution. To suggest otherwise is to reject a bedrock principle of American democracy: the president is not a monarch.

    explains why the US Supreme Court must reject the former president's claim to immunity from prosecution.
  7. deryugina1_BEN BIRCHALLPOOLAFP via Getty Images_ukraineflagsoldier Ben Birchall/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

    Ukraine Is Far From Doomed

    Tatyana Deryugina & Anastassia Fedyk

    When comparing Ukraine’s situation in 2024 to Europe’s in 1941, Russia’s defeat seems entirely possible. But it will require the West, and the US in particular, to put aside domestic political squabbles and muster the political will to provide Ukraine with consistent and robust military and financial assistance.

    compare Russia's full-scale invasion to World War II and see reason to hope – as long as aid keeps flowing.
  8. glennerster2_Scott OlsonGetty Images)_vaccines Scott Olson/Getty Images)

    The Pandemic Financing Developing Countries Need

    Rachel Glennerster urges multilateral development banks to establish mechanisms that enable at-risk vaccine purchases.
  9. krueger74_AFP via Getty Images_nigercoup AFP via Getty Images

    The Geopolitics of Africa’s Debt Crisis

    Anne O. Krueger urges developed countries to back efforts by the IMF and the World Bank to promote growth-enhancing reforms.

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