Geopolitics
Oct 9, 2016 8:30:37 GMT
Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2016 8:30:37 GMT
Espadrille bought me this book for my birthday
www.amazon.co.uk/Prisoners-Geography-Everything-Global-Politics/dp/1783961414
link
Fascinating insights into how Geography in its pure sense dictates why certain countries and regions act in certain ways. So far, about 2/3 way through and am up to India/Pakistan. The sections on Russia, China, USA, Europe, Middle East and Africa have been a canter through recent (post 1850) history and the short section on the Israel/Palestine conflict is illuminating, even to me who thought he knew more than most.
Without regurgitating the whole book....countries feel secure behind natural borders of mountains, rivers and seas. They expand (frequently militarily) to reach these borders, if their land is not so protected - hence the invasion of Tibet by China and into Crimea by Russia, and the expansion into the Western States by the fledgling USA.
Also interesting is how some colonial powers were truly dreadful and over a short period of time (Belgium in the Congo 1916 - 1960) and others were very good (Britain in India) until they left, when they simply vanished leaving a gaping hole for atrocities on both sides to be committed.
I like this sort of book and other books (including science based ones) which entertain and inform without requiring too much in depth knowledge.
www.amazon.co.uk/Prisoners-Geography-Everything-Global-Politics/dp/1783961414
link
Fascinating insights into how Geography in its pure sense dictates why certain countries and regions act in certain ways. So far, about 2/3 way through and am up to India/Pakistan. The sections on Russia, China, USA, Europe, Middle East and Africa have been a canter through recent (post 1850) history and the short section on the Israel/Palestine conflict is illuminating, even to me who thought he knew more than most.
Without regurgitating the whole book....countries feel secure behind natural borders of mountains, rivers and seas. They expand (frequently militarily) to reach these borders, if their land is not so protected - hence the invasion of Tibet by China and into Crimea by Russia, and the expansion into the Western States by the fledgling USA.
Also interesting is how some colonial powers were truly dreadful and over a short period of time (Belgium in the Congo 1916 - 1960) and others were very good (Britain in India) until they left, when they simply vanished leaving a gaping hole for atrocities on both sides to be committed.
I like this sort of book and other books (including science based ones) which entertain and inform without requiring too much in depth knowledge.
