The Twenty Years’ Crisis, 1919–1939

E.H. Carr’s Twenty Years’ Crisis is a classic work in International Relations. Published in 1939, on the eve of World War II, it was immediately recognized by friend and foe alike as a defining work in the fledgling discipline. The author was one of the most influential and controversial intellectuals of the twentieth century. The issues and themes he develops in this book continue to have relevance to modern day concerns with power and its distribution in the international system.

Michael Cox’s critical introduction provides the reader with background information about the author, the context for the book, its main themes and contemporary relevance. Written with the student in mind, it offers a guide to understanding a complex, but crucial text.

Part One The Science of International Politics

Chapter 1. The Beginnings of a Science

Chapter 2. Utopia and Reality

Part Two The International Crisis

Chapter 3. The Utopian Background

Chapter 4. The Harmony of Interests

Chapter 5. The Realist Critique

Chapter 6. The Limitations of Realism

Part Three Politics, Power and Morality

Chapter 7. The Nature of Politics

Chapter 8. Power in International Politics

Chapter 9. Morality in International Politics

Part Four Law and Change

Chapter 10. The Foundations of Law

Chapter 11. The Sanctity of Treaties

Chapter 12. The Judicial Settlement of International Disputes

Chapter 13. Peaceful Change

About the Author

E.H. Carr was born in 1882, joined the Foreign Office in 1916 and resigned 20 year later to become the fourth Woodrow Wilson Professor in the Department of International Politics at the University College of Wales Aberystwyth. Here he published seven books including The Twenty Years’ Crisis in 1939. The following year he joined the Ministry of Information before moving on to become the Assistant Editor of The Times. In 1945 he began work on his massive History of Soviet Russia. He was elected a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge in 1995. The author of the bestselling What is History? In 1961, Carr died in 1982 at the age of 90.

Michael Cox is Professor Emeritus of International Relations at the London School of Economic and Director of LSE IDEAS, the world ranked Think Tank. Author and editor of over 25 books and a leading specialist on the life and work of E.H Carr, he is editor of Palgrave’s flagship journal of IR, International Politics, as well as its successful book series, Rethinking World Politics. He is currently completing a history of the LSE.