James J. Sheehan is the Dickason Professor in the Humanities, Emeritus, at Stanford University. He was president of the American Historical Association in 2005 and is the author and editor of numerous books, including Where Have All the Soldiers Gone?

• IllustrationsAcknowledgementsIntroduction: "Horizons of Expectation"1. The Ancien Regime2. Making States Modern3. Nations4. A Society of Nation StatesConclusion: Beyond the HorizonBibliography

"This fine book manages to cover more ground in its short span than do many books two or three times its length. Students at many levels, from the undergraduate to the postdoctoral, will learn much from it." —Perspectives on Political Science"Sheehan's conclusions capture the balance of change and continuity in human experience." —Law & Liberty"This is a wonderful book. Sheehan is a gifted historian, the subject perennially important, large themes clearly announced and pursued, an impressive range of secondary materials adroitly deployed, the writing unobtrusive yet graceful." —Nicholas Greenwood Onuf, author of The Mightie Frame"In a time when scholars regularly call for big-picture histories that tackle global themes, this is the rare book that actually accomplishes that goal." —Alexander M. Martin, author of Enlightened Metropolis"Sheehan's book asks us to reconsider which social theorist lurks more influentially behind the issue of state formation and so-called world order: Hobbes or Marx?" —Journal of Modern History

James J. Sheehan is the Dickason Professor in the Humanities, Emeritus, at Stanford University. He was president of the American Historical Association in 2005 and is the author and editor of numerous books, including Where Have All the Soldiers Gone?

• IllustrationsAcknowledgementsIntroduction: "Horizons of Expectation"1. The Ancien Regime2. Making States Modern3. Nations4. A Society of Nation StatesConclusion: Beyond the HorizonBibliography

"This fine book manages to cover more ground in its short span than do many books two or three times its length. Students at many levels, from the undergraduate to the postdoctoral, will learn much from it." —Perspectives on Political Science"Sheehan's conclusions capture the balance of change and continuity in human experience." —Law & Liberty"This is a wonderful book. Sheehan is a gifted historian, the subject perennially important, large themes clearly announced and pursued, an impressive range of secondary materials adroitly deployed, the writing unobtrusive yet graceful." —Nicholas Greenwood Onuf, author of The Mightie Frame"In a time when scholars regularly call for big-picture histories that tackle global themes, this is the rare book that actually accomplishes that goal." —Alexander M. Martin, author of Enlightened Metropolis"Sheehan's book asks us to reconsider which social theorist lurks more influentially behind the issue of state formation and so-called world order: Hobbes or Marx?" —Journal of Modern History

James J. Sheehan is the Dickason Professor in the Humanities, Emeritus, at Stanford University. He was president of the American Historical Association in 2005 and is the author and editor of numerous books, including Where Have All the Soldiers Gone?

• IllustrationsAcknowledgementsIntroduction: "Horizons of Expectation"1. The Ancien Regime2. Making States Modern3. Nations4. A Society of Nation StatesConclusion: Beyond the HorizonBibliography

"This fine book manages to cover more ground in its short span than do many books two or three times its length. Students at many levels, from the undergraduate to the postdoctoral, will learn much from it." —Perspectives on Political Science"Sheehan's conclusions capture the balance of change and continuity in human experience." —Law & Liberty"This is a wonderful book. Sheehan is a gifted historian, the subject perennially important, large themes clearly announced and pursued, an impressive range of secondary materials adroitly deployed, the writing unobtrusive yet graceful." —Nicholas Greenwood Onuf, author of The Mightie Frame"In a time when scholars regularly call for big-picture histories that tackle global themes, this is the rare book that actually accomplishes that goal." —Alexander M. Martin, author of Enlightened Metropolis"Sheehan's book asks us to reconsider which social theorist lurks more influentially behind the issue of state formation and so-called world order: Hobbes or Marx?" —Journal of Modern History