From the Ancient Greeks to the United Colonies of New England
The book explores the origins of confederal unions, highlighting their emergence in ancient Greece and their revival during medieval and early modern periods. It details the development of these unions in regions such as Switzerland, the Dutch Republic, and the 17th-century New England colonies, showcasing their historical significance and evolution over time.
In this volume, Fredrick Lister examines security confederations of the modern eras; America's confederal union during the winning of the Revolutionary War; Switzerland's in post-Napoleonic Europe; and Germany's during the turbulence of the Austro-Prussian Confrontation whose outcome transformed the European political scene. Lister concludes with an evaluation of the possibility that confederal-type ties might one day serve as a basis for global union.After setting forth the nature of confederal-type governance, Lister provides three case studies that follow on the evolution of confederal political institutions in the United States, Switzerland, and Germany. Each section ends with a series of conclusions on the confederation examined. A thorough examination of a long-neglected subject that will be of interest to scholars, students, and researchers involved with world government and international relations.