The West owes its hegemonic position in the world to the superiority of its military and economic force. In his new book, Rainer Mausfeld examines contemporary wars and conflicts, drawing on comparative economic studies to demonstrate that the privileged way of life in the West fundamentally relies on the exploitation of weaker countries. The severe crisis facing the West makes it clear that the ideological illusions created by the West can no longer be reconciled with the geopolitical realities moving toward multipolarity. Rather than seeking diplomatic ways to balance interests among nations, the West responds to this challenge by increasing its readiness for organized violence. Fearing a loss of power, its political elites have shifted into an endgame mode of blind destructive readiness. They would rather risk nuclear catastrophe than accept any limitation on their hegemonic claims.

Rainer Mausfeld is a professor at the University of Kiel and held the chair for perceptual and cognitive research until his retirement. In his socio-political writings, he addresses neoliberal ideology, the transformation of democracy into an authoritarian security state, and psychological techniques for managing public opinion and outrage. Through his lectures (including "How Are Opinion and Democracy Controlled?" and "The Fear of the Power Elites Toward the People"), he reaches hundreds of thousands of listeners. His recent bestsellers published by Westend Verlag include Why Do the Lambs Keep Silent? (2018), Fear and Power (2019), and TamTam and Taboo (co-authored with Daniela Dahn, 2020).