God and Gold: Britain, America, and the Making of the Modern World Hardcover – October 9, 2007 by Walter Russell Mead

"Change" is why Great Britain and now the United States became the dominant economic, military and social leaders for the past century, writes Mead in this superb history.

It's a valid lesson in this era of fundamentalist Christians, Moslems, Wall Street analysts, laissez fairists and other terrorists who assume they have discovered the perfect way of life, liberty, happiness and easy profits for all true believers. In brief, he doesn't suggest imposing change for the sake of change; he emphasizes the ability to change as conditions change and because our knowledge grows over time.

The delightful element is Mead's ability to use analogies, quotes and examples from sources as disparate as Lewis Carroll to John Milton to Thomas Cranmer and Reinhold Niebuhr and ranging from The Walrus and the Carpenter to Original Sin to Greed to the Invisible Hand and the Whig narrative. It's a relevant romp through history based on the premise that even conservatives can change -- even if slowly.

The writing is a delight, the history is masterful.

He succinctly rejects the neo-conservative follies who argue America is in moral, military, economic and spiritual decline; instead of the usual focus on guns, butter and Bibles. Mead argues America's strength is its ability to handle change when necessary.

Such intangibles are the foundation of a great society. The ability to change and yet retain impeccable financial integrity is a remarkable duality. It's why the bankers' bailouts are vital; not to prop up bozos, but to retain the integrity of the financial system.

Now, for the quibbles of a quidnunc: As brilliant as Mead is in his analysis, he overlooks an equally relevant factor -- the refusal to quit, to give up, to surrender.

"For three years, Hitler beat Britain and its allies everywhere he faced them . . ." Mead states, overlooking Hitler's failures to win the Battle of Britain, or to successfully blockade Britain or demoralize the people by terror bombing. It was not Churchill who stood alone against Hitler; it was 60 million Brits who refused to be bullied.

This refusal to give up is the quality that defeated Napoleon, beat the British in the U.S. War of Independence and Americans in Vietnam. Many countries share it in military terms; but, the British and Americans have the same stubborn determination in most things -- not just military -- they set out to accomplish. The Panama Canal was built by determination as much as by skill, talent and intrigue.

The unique American quality is often a persistence in demanding "new and improved" change, plus giving freedom to dissenters who challenge anything, everything and everyone in society. Every intelligent person can recognize a need for change; but, two further qualities are essential -- tolerating and even honouring those who advocate it, and the wisdom to know what, when and how to implement it.

All in all, a superb account of how we got to where we are today and what we need to maintain leadership.