Ease Reading-Find Your Next Favorite Book

Hot Search

A Century of War: Anglo-American Oil Politics and the New World Order

f. william engdahl

... Show More
This book is a gripping account of the murky world of the international oil industry and its role in world politics. Scandals about oil are familiar to most of us. From George W. Bush's election victory to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, US politics and oil enjoy a controversially close relationship. The US economy relies upon the cheap and unlimited supply of this single fuel. William Engdahl takes the reader through a history of the oil industry's grip on the world economy. His revelations are startling.

312 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1992

This edition

Format
312 pages, Hardcover
Published
October 11, 2004 by Pluto Press
ISBN
9780745323107
ASIN
0745323103
Language
English

More editions

About the author

Profile Image for f. william engdahl

f. william engdahl

... Show More
Frederick William Engdahl is an American writer based in Germany. He identifies himself as an "economic researcher, historian and freelance journalist." He is known for his views that the September 11 attacks, the Arab Spring and the theory of global warming are all conspiracies. He has written extensively for the LaRouche movement, Russia Today and GlobalResearch.

Readers also enjoyed

Community Reviews

Rating(4.2 / 5.0, 28 votes)
5 stars
15(54%)
4 stars
4(14%)
3 stars
9(32%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
28 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
MadVillainy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
... Show More
Engdahl could learn how to write. Still, this is a history of oil and history of world political economy. It is conspiracy theory stuff at its best.

Here was the best insight (for me): If the United States did not allow the 1973 oil shock -- usually most people end up blaming or venerating OPEC countries for their actions -- then the shock would never have happened.

There is much, much more here. But there is an overlap between the themes of this book and the film Syriana.

A worthwhile read for those interested in the nexus of oil/middle east/global political economy.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Komato-kun
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
... Show More
This book really puts into perspective international politics, especially as the United States plays it. It is an eye-opener!
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Alpha_99
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
... Show More
A very good and informative history book, but I would recommend reading the Myths book instead, as it’s more up to date. I will definitely read more of Engdahl’s books.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
riz_76
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
... Show More
I know, it sounds boring and political and it is both - and worse, at times Engdahl sees virtually everything - like the 1973 Middle East War and the implosion of Yugoslavia through the lenses of Anglo-American financial sector conspiracies. This is most unfortunate as it cheapens what would otherwise be an extraordinary book of genuine value. Global politics might not ALWAYS be financial sector conspiracies, but they often are and for the most part Engdahl has his finger on that pulse. He has a fine sense of how starting as early as the late 1950s, the US gave up `production' as a way of mastering the global economy, turning instead to a combination of controlling oil, world finance and militarization. They do all go together more often than not. The best chapter - it is outstanding is about the deal cooked up by that evil genius and war criminal Henry Kissinger with the Saudis to raise the price of oil 400% and have most it recycled to the west in the form of financial investments. So despite its warts, I recommend this book highly. Will talk about it - critique and praise it tomorrow eve on a public radio program - oil and world power.
Cheers,
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Rally-
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
... Show More
Nije za osmicu, ali 7/10. Odlična knjiga, svaka čast autoru za trud koji je uložio u istraživanje i češljanje kako bi mogao malo razmrsiti ovo klupko.

Oduševljen sam uvodnim dijelom koji objašnjava kontekst i pozadinu Velikog rata, kao i uvijek iznova tupljenja po GB-D rivalstvu i pruzi Berlin-Bagdad. Uvijek me kao srednjoškolca zbunjivala činjenica da je postojalo Solunsko bojište na kojem su ratovali Britanci ... Zašto ? Čitajući '?Stoljeće rata'' neki su klikeri proradili.

Mislim da su svi koji nisu Amerikanci koji imaju afinitet prema nacionalnoj povijesti u stanovitom hendikepu, jer kada autor krene sipati ''genealogiju'' američkih predsjednika, njihovih suradnika itd. itd. lako se pogubiti. Osim toga, to je jedna ogromna zemlja i strahovit politički sistem.

Volim ovakva štiva. Morat ću mu se vratiti. Kao i Bogovima novca, kao i Mitovima, lažima i ratovima za naftu, Sjemenu uništenja, a naravno, i uzeti u ruke nastavak ovog naslova.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
1Elaina
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
... Show More
Just great. Need as many people read such books as possible.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
gabunomi
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
... Show More
Great book, not what you read in traditional history books. A lot of info from what happens behind the scene.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
-ice-chan-
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
... Show More
This is a highly interesting read about Oil, Banking and Geopolitics. It compliments work by Edwin Black on the relationship between Big Oil, Eugenics and the unfolding of Modern History. Some of the book verges on conspiracy theory, so it is a book to be read in relation to other sources to cross check on the ideas. But the overall thesis is interesting, and there is a lot of evidence given for most of the contentions. It fits with accounts in books like the Last Oil Shock, and with Edwin Blacks work on the relationship between corporate America and Nazi Germany.

The most important insights are in relation to the financialisation of the UK and then the US Economy, and the geopolitical shift to stop promoting manufacturing growth in favour of seeking value through speculative investment globally. This is a Thesis explored in Fredrik Jameson and David Harvey's work as well in various forms, and fits also with discussions of the shifting composition of capital and the notion of surplus populations discussed by thinkers like Kalyan Sanyal.

So this text opens up a topic that deserves more thorough academic treatment.
0 0 Reply
Leave a Review
You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.