The Triumph of Emotions: Geopolitics in an Age of Resentment, Anger and Fear
Dominique Moisi, Polity, £20

THE title of this book might lead you to believe it covers some interesting subject matter. Perhaps a psychological assessment of various world leaders? Maybe an examination of atrocity propaganda effects on different nations? Possibly how racial hatred is expressed in international relations? Alas, its none of these things. It’s Mr Moisi’s internal emotive reactions in written form.

These gut reactions are staunchly pro-Western. They are also, to Moisi, completely self-evident. A critical analysis of sources or scholarship is notable only by its absence, and instead we read a recitation of ruling-class propaganda narratives. Moisi examines a subject by asking himself how he feels about it and then tells us. Emotions really do triumph here.

Thankfully there are only four chapters. These cover the present Russia-Ukraine war, the global South, global East (a one-off definition for this particular work) and the global West. Consulting the imagination for emotional reactions gives a recognisable Fox News narrative to what is returned.

Ukraine good, Russia bad. Moisi describes Ukrainian President Zelensky as Churchillian twice and very much in touch with the mood of his freedom-loving, pro-Western, heroic people. The possibilities that there are troubles with fascists in Ukraine, that the 2014 government was overthrown by the US, and that hundreds of thousands have been pointlessly killed for Western expansionism is simply not considered.

Putin is presented as an enigmatic thug. The invasion had nothing to do with Nato it was imperial hubris. Of course, you could read Putin’s speeches on the Kremlin website to pull up evidence to the contrary, or even consult another scholar, but no need — how he feels about him is the most important thing. Moisi even decides on reflection that his ancestors were not Russian Jews but were actually Ukrainian Jews. Phew! Almost tainted by association there.

The global South basically feels bad about itself and wrongfully resents 500 years of slavery, colonialism, exploitation, murder and land theft. They need to be a bit more reasonable about that if they’re going to get on, as basically everyone did it in the past.

The global East is dominated by China which of course is bad, and a threat. A country which defeated poverty at the fastest rate in history and hasn’t bombed or invaded other countries in 40 years is basically run by weird orientalist autocrats. A bit like Russia, but unlike the global South they are also an angry bunch. All of them.

The global West is scared. Despite its inherent superiority and commitment to democracy, the West is definitely worried. Well, it should be if it believed all this nonsense.

Scattered throughout are various highly contentious passages excusing Israel and blaming Hamas for the trouble. Of course Israel is originally a reasonable Westernised place but is now in danger of becoming “Middle Eastern”, i.e. more religiously fundamentalist like the Arabs. It’s in the air, you see.

The only thing this teaches you is that some Western elites really do believe their own nonsense and now no longer need to examine or provide any evidence.

This book is a tragic misuse of wood-pulp and ink that would be best returned to the paper mill. At least then it might become a pizza box, whose grease-stained geometry would offer more geopolitical insight (and better digestion).