The well-known Norwegian political scientist calls attention to the fact that when discussing terrorism, one must not disregard the phenomenon of state terrorism. He analyses the possible power relations between the states and citizens and the strategies of action following from them. Progress has brought with it the escalation of violence. Galtung offers the Ghandi principle of no-violence to be the weapon of the "weak" to stop the vicious circle of violence.

Mandel discusses the collapse of Soviet socialism on the one hand. He states that the collapse would be foreseen after the development of the world centres diverted from the earlier heavy industry-centred model. He expounds his standpoint that – perhaps with the exception of Hungary – Eastern Europe does not have many chances for the successful integration into the capitalist world system (but rather for sinking back to a semi-colonial state). On the other hand, he also analyses the crisis of the capitalist economy. One form of its expressions is the debt trap.

In connection with four books, the author outlines his opinion that one of the preconditions of the renewal of the left wing is the necessary breach with the opportunism of the representatives who have become officials.

The anarchist author discusses the basic thesis of anarchism that the management of society and order do not necessitate a separate power. He quotes examples from various aspects of social life and history to illustrate that both in revolutionary times and in the organisation of everyday life, elements of (anarchist) self-organisation are present which have proved to be more successful that other principles of organisation.