Why Would Anyone Want to Run the World? The Warnings in Cold War History.

This article discusses Sergey Radchenko's book, "To Run the World: The Kremlin's Cold War Bid for Global Power," which examines the actions and leadership of Soviet leaders during the Cold War. It explores the gap between the Soviet Union's ideology and its attempts to exert authority, highlighting the ontological insecurity that led to aggression. The text focuses on the strategies and challenges faced by leaders such as Khrushchev and Brezhnev, including bluffing, military threats, and the pursuit of legitimacy. The author suggests that Putin's ambitions may follow a similar pattern. [Extracted from the article]