Alain Noël is Professor in the Department of Political Science of the Université de Montréal. Jean-Philippe Thérien is Professor in the Department of Political Science of the Université de Montréal.

• Introduction; 1. A clash over equality; 2. A worldwide value divide; 3. Two tales of globalization; 4. The rise of the modern state system (1776–1945); 5. The age of universality (1945–1980); 6. The triumph of market democracy (1980–2007); 7. Twenty-first century rapprochement; 8. The core currency of political exchange; Conclusion.

'Despite the proliferation of labels, such as the 'third way', 'post-material values', and 'new social movements', which presumably reflect a variety of new cleavages, Alain Noel and Jean-Philippe Therien show the durability and continuing importance of left-right politics. They demonstrate the salience of left-right concerns with extensive use of historical and comparative data. The result is a great book that is important both for its scholarly and public policy implications.' James A. Caporaso, University of Washington