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Fragile Victory: The Making and Unmaking of Liberal Order

byJames E. Cronin

James E. Cronin traces the creation and erosion of the liberal order that emerged from the crises of the 1930s and World War II. Democratic governments built institutions combining markets, social protection, international cooperation, and political rights, but each settlement remained vulnerable to economic change, conflict, and backlash. The book follows adaptation through the Cold War, globalization, and the rise of populist nationalism. Cronin presents liberalism not as a natural endpoint but as a fragile political achievement requiring repeated reconstruction, compromise, and public confidence when old arrangements stop delivering security and opportunity.

Publisher

Yale University Press

Publication date

2023

Format

Print edition

Pages

—

ISBN

9780300247855