Go to Special Sales HBG USA Home Special Sales HBG USA

The Spoils of War

Greed, Power, and the Conflicts That Made Our Greatest Presidents

The Spoils of War Open the full-size image

Contributors

By Andrew Cockburn

Also available from:

On Sale
Sep 27, 2016
Page Count
320 pages
Publisher
PublicAffairs
ISBN-13
9781610396622

Two eminent political scientists show that America’s great conflicts, from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror, were fought not for ideals, or even geopolitical strategy, but for the individual gain of the presidents who waged them.

It’s striking how many of the presidents Americans venerate-Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy, to name a few-oversaw some of the republic’s bloodiest years. Perhaps they were driven by the needs of the American people and the nation. Or maybe they were just looking out for themselves.

This revealing and entertaining book puts some of America’s greatest leaders under the microscope, showing how their calls for war, usually remembered as brave and noble, were in fact selfish and convenient. In each case, our presidents chose personal gain over national interest while loudly evoking justice and freedom. The result is an eye-opening retelling of American history, and a call for reforms that may make the future better.

Bueno de Mesquita and Smith demonstrate in compelling fashion that wars, even bloody and noble ones, are not primarily motivated by democracy or freedom or the sanctity of human life. When our presidents risk the lives of brave young soldiers, they do it for themselves.

Genre:

Formats and Prices

Price

$27.99

Price

$36.50 CAD

Format

Format:

  1. Hardcover $27.99 $36.50 CAD
  2. ebook $18.99 $24.99 CAD

You May Also Like

Surprise, Kill, Vanish
Surprise, Kill, Vanish $23.99 $30.99 CAD
Topgun
Topgun $17.99 $22.99 CAD
Dog Company
Dog Company $24.99 $31.99 CAD
Above and Beyond
Above and Beyond $28.00 $36.50 CAD
Medal of Honor, Revised & Updated Third Edition
Medal of Honor, Revised & Updated Third Edition $60.00 $75.00 CAD

Andrew Cockburn

About the Author

Bruce Bueno de Mesquita is the Julius Silver Professor of Politics and director of the Alexander Hamilton Center for Political Economy at New York University. He is the author of sixteen books, including The Predictioneer’s Game.

Alastair Smith is professor of politics at New York University. The recipient of three grants from the National Science Foundation and author of three books, he was chosen as the 2005 Karl Deutsch Award winner, given biennially to the best international relations scholar under the age of forty. They are also the authors of The Spoils of War: Greed, Power, and the Conflicts That Made Our Greatest Presidents.

Learn more about this author