What exactly is politics? Why do we need it? And where is it headed in these tumultuous times? How did the abyssal gap between the rich and the poor come to be? Why do countries like Syria and Denmark differ so much?

In this short yet remarkably insightful book, one of the leading political scientists of our time poses crucial questions. David Runciman examines perceptions of power, the state, and leadership, from Machiavelli to Hobbes and from Max Weber to the role of social media.

Moreover, he explores power, justice, and violence not only as historical concepts but also as pressing issues of our time. Societies that fail to adapt to challenges disintegrate. The planet is filled with the ruins of political systems that have collapsed.

The Parthenon is the testament to the glory of the ancient Athenian democracy, which flourished for two hundred years before falling into the hands of Philip and his son, Alexander the Great. The massive carved monoliths on Easter Island were created by a prosperous community and symbolized the power and determination of its leaders. Lenin's mausoleum in Moscow was once the focal point of global communism, glorifying man and whose politics would conquer the world.

Are then the liberal democracies, which Fukuyama characterized as the "end of history," destined for similar destruction?