The division of Europe has been a dominating feature of the international political order for 40 years. Now all is changing as established political alignments crumble and new social and political movements gain ground and, in some cases, even come to power. This book explains the background to these dramatic changes in the international system. The author presents an alternative account of the Cold War, arguing that what has been experienced in Europe since the war cannot be described as peace, but rather as a state of imaginary war, where deterrence is not a mechanism for avoiding war, but a means to sustain the political hegemony of the US and the USSR. The author aims to demonstrate the profound effect the imaginary war has had on patterns of social and economic development in Europe, limiting them to models provided by the two superpowers. She goes on to examine the prospects and choices for the future including the need for demilitarization, East-West cooperation, an increased self-determination, and the important role of social movements on such issues as the environment, peace, women and human rights.