Twilight of Authority

Nisbet argues that the political community in the West has broken down after two centuries of ascendancy. He believes that the West has entered 'a twilight age' that will be characterised by political and cultural crises similar to those that preceded the fall of Rome.

He foresees the displacement of traditional, liberal society by centralised, collectivised power — what he terms 'the war society'. This shift, he explains, is driven by the rising power and expense of a hugely scaled military.

Nisbet offers no prophecy of inevitable decline; rather, he aims to draw attention to the challenge of creating a social order. This is a social order within which the individual can live meaningfully and derive a spirit of initiative.