THE AGE OF THE UNTHINKABLE

For decades, most foreign policy has been based on the very seductive belief that there is a logical relationship between democracy and stability. Many of the most important statesmen and thinkers have subscribed to the idea that peace and prosperity will bloom from the spread of capitalism and democracy in a globalized world. I think you only need to read the front page of your newspaper to know that it is not that simple.

As Joshua Cooper Ramo will explain in this new book, the belief that globalization is harmonizing the planet has failed both tests of good science: it neither predicts, nor explains our world. Our leaders and policy makers have miscalculated all over the world failing to predict the World Trade Center, London, Madrid, and now Mumbai attacks and the rise of international terrorism, underestimating the number of soldiers and partners needed to maintain peace in Iraq, and advocating global democracy - and then not knowing what to do when it produces leaders like in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Iran and Hamas. Now, drawing upon history, economics, political theory and his own incredible (and envy-worthy) experiences and contacts, Ramo puts forth a radical new model for looking at the world. He sees the planet not as one getting flatter and easier to predict, but one that is totally organic and evolving faster than we can record or theorize about. Given this, Ram believes that we need to adopt this unpredictability as the first step in understanding the world around us.

Joshua Ramo is a brilliant young thinker and an important new non-fiction writer (think Malcolm Gladwell). Josh's area of expertise is foreign policy and what is working on in Hayek's Garden is a provocative investigation into globalization and its discontents.