The world community today stands at a critical crossroads. For the past 80 years, the majority of world affairs has been guided by the policies and practices of the post-World War II rules-based international order. While not perfect, it has provided the world community with both unprecedented benefits as well as significant challenges.

Today that international order is unraveling, causing profound uncertainty, increased complexity and risk for both international business and international relations, loss of economic efficiencies, higher inflation and interest rates, diminished international cooperation, the reintroduction of aggressive military action as a means to pursue national interest, and a hostile world environment.

What is the post-World War II international order? What were the historical conditions that prompted its establishment? What is its vital role over the past eight decades in fostering success in such central areas of world community activity as international business, economic development, technological and scientific advancement, international stability and cooperation, international law, human rights, independence for half of today’s nations, and breaking the cycle of world wars?

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the post-World War II international order. It answers such consequential questions as: What are the major policies, practices and institutions that constitute its organizational structure and operational matrix? What are its major merits and demerits? Why has it been fragmenting in recent years? What would be the consequences of the demise of this historic international order? How companies, governments, and people navigate this critical crossroads will have profound impact on the world community today and well into the future.