Power as a human goal is the central theme of this book on government. The author sets out to ""prove that the fundamental concept in social science is Power, in the same sense in which Energy is the fundamental concept in physics."" Russell has a faculty for making abstractions concrete and readable. He traces power from its intuitive and primitive impulses, to its culmination, he shows the psychology of power, the forms it takes, the pitfalls, the growth and development of dictatorships from ancient history to the present. He questions the success of democracy, and urges the taming of the individual, wiping out the fear of war, and making men self-reliant through proper emotional education. A bit tortuous and involved at times, but on the whole stimulating and interesting reading.