After decades of peace and prosperity, the international order put in place after World War II is rapidly coming to an end. Disastrous foreign wars, global recession, the meteoric rise of China and India and the COVID pandemic have undermined the power of the West's international institutions and unleashed the forces of nationalism and protectionism. In this lucid and groundbreaking analysis, one of Britain's most experienced senior diplomats highlights the key dilemmas Britain faces, from trade to security, arguing that international co-operation and solidarity are the surest ways to prosper in a world more dangerous than ever.
"A bracing, stimulating, utterly timely call for the UK to take a very hard look at its place in the world post-Brexit and after Covid. Peter Ricketts tells us we have nothing to lose but our illusions. He's right."
Peter Hennessy, author of Winds of Change
"Thought-provoking and well worth reading"
Times Literary Supplement
"As one of Britain's top diplomats, Ricketts had a close-up view of some of the most dramatic events of recent decades... he takes a tough-minded look at the country's post-Brexit options - making the case for realistic internationalism and renewed engagement with Europe."
