In his book “Climate Change and the Nation State: The Realist Case”, Anatol Lieven argues that the legitimacy to act, and hence the ability to act decisively, lies with the nation state. However as much as individuals like I might wish for strong multilateral organisations, ultimately they can only support or encourage.

Developing the theme in an article in the latest RSA Journal, he goes on to warn of the threat to societies if governments do not act quickly and boldly to protect the poorest and most vulnerable from the economic impact of the impending recession. And he looks back to the New Deal launched by President Roosevelt in the US in the 1930s as a shining example of the use of state-driven investment in infrastructure which helped put the economy back on its feet, but moreover strengthened its liberal democracy.

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