PREFACE

We can now turn to a more detailed examination of the European society of states. We

need to look at it in its individuality, its unique and individual nature, because only in that

way can a historian understand it and perceive its original features. We also need to

compare and contrast it with the other societies of states discussed in the first section of

the book. In doing so we shall consider the questions we asked about the ancient systems,

formulated in the preface to that section and in Chapter 12.