Partly in the light of reactions in the French press, the author analyses the factors which played a role in the development why the United States had entered the military scene in the Gulf war (why was the timing optimal to realise its interests), and what factors determined the dual nature of Europe's reaction: its detachment from the American standpoint on the one hand and entering the war on the other. He notes that the left wing, due to the contradictory lines, could not give an appropriate response to the Gulf war which also proves that the left needs new points of orientation, new theoretical platforms in order to remain among the important forces of the world.

The end of the cold war does not mean the establishment of a more peaceful world order. The well known British socialist theoretician, the editor-in-chief of International Socialism gives a detailed analysis of the economic growth and the changes of power positions in the world since World War II. He proves that the arms build up did not really decrease when certain disarmament treaties were achieved. He shows the key role of mititarism in the capitalist economy without which capital is unable to keep a balance and that it is exactly this, which undermines the economic balance. He calls attention to the dangers of the instability of the international power relations and the competition of the capitalist power centres.

On the basis of his research and the literature of this issue, he answers such questions as: against what do the households have to defend themselves?, what are traditional methods of defence?, whether these work today?, is it an advantage or disadvantage to be backward in development when it comes to defence?, are there methods of defence that can be learnt?, does the economy of households differ from macro-economy? is there a Hungarian specific method of defence by the households?, what are the basic differences of defence between families of different social status?

It is a survey of the changes in expenditure by households in the past two years on the basis of statistical data. She makes a specific analysis of the changes and the transformation of demands on the basis of social-sociological groups and of the items of the family budget. She draws attention to the economic policy dangers which selects between the bad alternative of leaving the poorest people alone or dissolving the middle classes.

As world capitalism is rapidly moving into the historical stage of a global information society, different countries relate in different ways to the transition. The author argues that instead of following the U.S. ideological lead, the Central-Eastern and Eastern European countries have the alternative of transitioning toward partially privatized systems, modelled on French and Japanese planning, which are much more appropriate to a global information economy. Moving toward such historically progressive systems is all the more essential because these systems may well signal the limits of capitalism.