World Order

As a Machiavellian adviser to Republican presidents, Kissinger meditates on his realpolitik approach to international affairs at the beginning of the 21st century. "Leftists" condemned his elitism and concern with the major powers, while "rightists" condemned his willingness to negotiate with Soviet leaders. The former secretary of state begins by providing a historical account of how the Old World (Europe, Africa, and Asia) implemented a balance of power approach to maintain order. Later, he reflects on contemporary politics of the United States, China, Russia, and Iran. He theorizes that the modern American experience stems from Theodore Roosevelt's realism and Woodrow Wilson's idealism in foreign affairs. Though Kissinger's heart may be with Roosevelt, he demonstrates how Wilson's rhetoric affected the New World experience, particularly the Americas, influencing not only Franklin Roosevelt but also Richard Nixon, who kept a portrait of Wilson in the White House's Cabinet Room.