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The Jungle Grows Back

America and Our Imperiled World

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The Jungle Grows Back

By: Robert Kagan
Narrated by: Jason Culp
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About this listen

"An incisive, elegantly written, new book about America’s unique role in the world." (Tom Friedman, The New York Times)

A brilliant and visionary argument for America's role as an enforcer of peace and order throughout the world - and what is likely to happen if we withdraw and focus our attention inward.

Recent years have brought deeply disturbing developments around the globe. American sentiment seems to be leaning increasingly toward withdrawal in the face of such disarray. In this powerful, urgent essay, Robert Kagan elucidates the reasons why American withdrawal would be the worst possible response, based as it is on a fundamental and dangerous misreading of the world.

Like a jungle that keeps growing back after being cut down, the world has always been full of dangerous actors who, left unchecked, possess the desire and ability to make things worse. Kagan makes clear how the "realist" impulse to recognize our limitations and focus on our failures misunderstands the essential role America has played for decades in keeping the world's worst instability in check. A true realism, he argues, is based on the understanding that the historical norm has always been toward chaos - that the jungle will grow back, if we let it.

©2018 Robert Kagan (P)2018 Random House Audio Americas Modern Political Science Politics & Government United States World Socialism Middle East Imperialism War Iran Capitalism American Foreign Policy Military Latin America Soviet Union Emotionally Gripping Africa Self-Determination Vietnam War Social justice Refugee Russia Middle Ages American History Imperial Japan Interwar Period

Critic Reviews

"A devastating riposte to [Trump's] careless, cynical and destructive approach to diplomacy.... [Kagan] is right to detect a crisis of confidence in the democratic world. He sets out his case with characteristic brilliance and conviction." (The Economist)

"[S]o important... In clear and forceful language, [The Jungle Grows Back] makes the case for America continuing its role as the guarantor of a liberal world order." (Eli Lake, Bloomberg)

"The Jungle Grows Back displays the characteristic Kagan virtues of lucid writing and thought - and a strong sense of history that adds drama and sweep to his argument." (Gideon Rachman, The Financial Times)
All stars
Most relevant
Robert Kagan’s 2018 account of the dangers to and decline of liberalism is even more compelling in 2025. Kagan has been vindicated on every front. As submitted, our collective sins of omission are not factored into the equation and so we suffer from a jaundiced view of our past to the great neglect of ourselves and a potential return to the spheres of interest and rise of authoritarianism. An important and powerful summary of our irresponsible selves these past few decades.

An exceptional account of the return to type

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Fareed Zakaria recommended this book, so I gave it a go. lots of interesting information on the history of the world order and a lot of accurate ideas about the present and future ( book is 7 years old as of today). kind of gives you a feel of how history may look upon the last 20 years and potential future outcomes for the world

good over view of where the world is heading

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