The book describes how the Western Balkans, after initial democratic hopes in the 2000s, slipped into competitive authoritarianism. It explains the mechanisms of "strongman" rule, the role of EU stabilocracy and why democracy does not consolidate.
After A Brief History of the Future, Jacques Attali writes a brief history of the present, dissecting the reasons that led to the first global financial crisis, the ways in which it manifests itself, and possible perspectives for the future.