

#2865
Mentioned in 9 episodes
The great illusion
Book • 1910
In 'The Great Illusion,' Norman Angell argues that the economic costs of war are so high that no nation can hope to gain from it.
He contends that modern economic systems, based on trade and contract law, make war futile because conquest does not lead to economic benefits.
The book refutes the common belief that military power results in greater wealth and instead posits that advanced economies can only generate value in the absence of military conflicts.
Angell also discusses the psychological and moral aspects of war, emphasizing that the nature of modern capitalism makes nationalist sentiment among capitalists irrelevant.
Despite its publication just before World War I, which seemed to contradict his thesis, the book remains a significant work in the field of international relations and peace studies.
He contends that modern economic systems, based on trade and contract law, make war futile because conquest does not lead to economic benefits.
The book refutes the common belief that military power results in greater wealth and instead posits that advanced economies can only generate value in the absence of military conflicts.
Angell also discusses the psychological and moral aspects of war, emphasizing that the nature of modern capitalism makes nationalist sentiment among capitalists irrelevant.
Despite its publication just before World War I, which seemed to contradict his thesis, the book remains a significant work in the field of international relations and peace studies.
Mentioned by



















Mentioned in 9 episodes
Mentioned by 

when discussing books that predicted or explained the current political moment.


Peter Thiel

1,400 snips
Peter Thiel on Trump, Elon, and the Triumph of the Counter-Elites
Mentioned by 

as a pre-World War I book that argued against the possibility of a world war due to economic interconnectedness.


Peter Thiel

273 snips
Part II: Apocalypse Now? Peter Thiel on Ancient Prophecies and Modern Tech
Mentioned by 

to illustrate the point that economic interdependence does not preclude conflict.


Niall Ferguson

224 snips
#634: Niall Ferguson, Historian — The Coming Cold War II, Visible and Invisible Geopolitics, Why Even Atheists Should Study Religion, Masters of Paradox, Fatherhood, Fear, and More
Mentioned by 

as a pre-World War I book that argued against the possibility of a world war due to economic interdependence, ultimately proven wrong.


Peter Thiel

158 snips
Peter Thiel: The Techno-Apocalypse is Nigh
Mentioned by 

in the context of discussing the impact of tariffs on British politics.


David Runciman

47 snips
Ideas of Globalisation: Chamberlain and the Tariff Wars (and Trump!)

Ulrike Franke

43 snips
#95 Die Macht der Geographie | Der Theorieteil: Warum Kriege und kein Weltfrieden?
Mentioned by 

as Norman Angel's claim that economic interdependence in Europe made war futile which was later disproven by World War I and World War II.


Peter Joseph

12 snips
Revolution Now! with Peter Joseph | Ep. 56 : The Capitalist Roots of War + Interview w/ Abby Martin
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as a book that argued that great power war was essentially impossible due to financial and economic entanglement, written three years before World War I.

Duncan Weldon

Does money really decide wars? Strange tales from the Vikings to the Luftwaffe to Ukraine
Mentioned by 

as a book that explores the economic aspects of war.


Conor Boyle

Margaret MacMillan on How War Has Shaped Humanity
Impacted ![undefined]()

's views on the trade war, highlighting that a similar argument was made before World War I.

Rob Vinnall

Rob's 2025 Postcard from Around the World
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as a book that advocates for pro-trade to stop war.

Gav

Season 8 - Episode 1 - Herbert Simon
Mentioned by 

in relation to the discussion on the long period of peace.


Conor Boyle

Margaret MacMillan and Peter Frankopan on How War Has Shaped Humanity
Mentioned by 

when discussing the book's thesis on the unlikelihood of a world war due to economic interconnectedness.


Peter Thiel

Peter Thiel on Trump, Elon, and the Triumph of the Counter-Elites
Mentioned by 

as a famous book before the First World War, arguing that war was too economically damaging.


Philip Coggan

The lost lessons from history’s economic mistakes
Erwähnt von ![undefined]()

als ein Buch, das argumentiert, dass Globalisierung einen Krieg in Europa unmöglich mache.

Peter Lachnit

1914: Als alle den Krieg wollten - #1436