In the book "The Fourth Revolution," John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge pose the question: what is the true role of the state? Their book describes the three great revolutions in the history of the state and the fourth one that is taking place now. In many Western countries, disillusionment with government has become endemic. In the United States, there is stagnation and inaction, while in Europe there is anger and in Britain skepticism, with the legitimacy of the government declining everywhere. Nonetheless, as Micklethwait and Wooldridge show, this is a seriously limited view. Impacts from past crises in the state have led to three great revolutions, which created the nation-state, the liberal state, and the welfare state. The authors argue that we are in the midst of a fourth revolution in the history of the nation-state, this time with the Western way at risk of being left behind.

"The Fourth Revolution" brings the crisis into full view and points to our future. The authors have enjoyed exceptional access to influential figures and forces around the world, and the book is a global tour of the innovators. The front lines are in Asia, where experiments in state-directed capitalism and authoritarian modernization have brought about a remarkable cycle of growth. Other emerging countries are evolving impressive new ideas, such as Brazil's social benefits system and India's application of mass production techniques. These governments may not have solved everything, but they have embraced the spirit of active reform and revolutionary offering, which in the past has provided such a great competitive advantage to the West.

The competition is not only about efficiency, but also about which political value systems will prevail in the 21st century: the liberal values of democracy and freedom or the authoritarian values of command and control. The balance of power is shifting rapidly and the stakes could not be higher.

Pages: 320, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm