For centuries, nations defined themselves by their willingness and ability to wage war, but after World War II, Europe began to redefine statehood, rejecting ballooning defense budgets in favor of material well-being, social stability, and economic growth. Discover how and why this happened, and what it means for the world.

Prologue : War and peace in the twentieth century -- pt. 1. Living in peace, preparing for war, 1900-1914. "Without war, there would be no state" -- Pacifism and militarism -- Europeans in a violent world -- pt. 2. A world made by war, 1914-1945. War and revolution -- The twenty-year truce -- The last European war -- pt. 3. States without war. The foundations of the postwar world -- The rise of the civilian state -- Why Europe will not become a superpower -- Epilogue : The future of the civilian state.