Why do we have a president and a prime minister, instead of having all power concentrated in one position? We know that we borrowed our political structure from the English, but why did they develop it that way? What is fascism? Did Lenin follow what Marx wrote? How is communism different from socialism? Why did the USSR break up?

This book traces the history of the modern world from the Reformation to the end of the Cold War, attempting to answer many such questions by explaining not just the historical events but the ideas and ideals that shaped them. This would also help you to have a better insight into modern Indian history and polity by placing them in a larger context.