The Retreat of Western Liberalism

'A panorama of the unravelling world order as riveting as any beach read' New Yorker

In less than three hours, Luce offers readers a bracing and brilliant understanding of the dangers currently facing democratic nations in the West. As one of the smartest journalists of our time, Luce provides perceptive and crucial insights, as noted by Jane Mayer, staff writer for the New Yorker: Read this book: in the three hours it takes you will get a new, bracing and brilliant understanding of the dangers we in the democratic West now face. Luce is one of the smartest journalists working today, and his perceptions are priceless.

'No one was more prescient about the economic malaise and popular resentment that has hit the United States than Ed Luce in his previous book, Time to Start Thinking. His new book, Retreat of Western Liberalism, broadens that picture to cover the Western world. It is a must-read for anyone trying to make sense of the waves of populism and nationalism we face today' Liaquat Ahamed

In his widely acclaimed book Time to Start Thinking, Financial Times columnist and commentator Edward Luce charted the course of American economic and geopolitical decline, proving to be a prescient voice on our current social and political turmoil. The Retreat of Western Liberalism extends his analysis, providing a comprehensive critique of the factors leading to the weakening of Western hegemony and the crisis of democratic liberalism.

Luce argues that the rise of figures like Donald Trump and his European counterparts are not the root cause of current crises but symptoms of deeper issues. He identifies key attitudes—ignorance of the sacrifices that built the West, arrogance towards society’s less fortunate, and a dangerous complacency about the resilience of our democratic institutions—that have developed since the fall of the Berlin Wall. This period was celebrated as an ultimate triumph, but it also sowed the seeds for future crises.

Luce contrasts Western ideals, which are predicated on continuous progress and growth, with more cyclical perspectives of economic strength, epitomised by the historical fall and current resurgence of the Chinese and Indian economies. He contends that we are entering a new multipolar age, with significant implications for global stability and democratic values.

Combining on-the-ground reporting with intelligent synthesis of existing literature, The Retreat of Western Liberalism offers detailed projections of the consequences of the Trump administration and presents a forward-thinking analysis. Luce maps out what defenders of enlightenment values must do to protect these principles against the myriad challenges looming in the years ahead. This is an essential read for anyone concerned about the future of Western democracies and liberalism.

As global tensions rise and populism gains a stronger foothold, The Retreat of Western Liberalism takes readers on a thoughtful journey through the fragility of the systems we often take for granted and provides a lucid framework to understand and engage with these pressing issues.