How do nations and aggrieved parties, in the wake of heinous crimes and horrible injustices, make amends in a positive way to acknowledge wrongdoings and redefine future interactions? How does the growing practice of making restitution restore a sense of morality and enhance prospects for world peace? Where has restitution worked and where has it not? The Guilt of Nations explores this increasingly important dynamic in world politics today.

Beyond its moral implications, restitution reflects a critical shift in political and economic bargaining over the past fifty years. At the center of this process is a reconfiguration of human rights and international and national politics. While preserving individual rights, restitution also provides a mechanism for victimized groups to receive growing recognition as groups. Elazar Barkan traces instances of historical crimes, such as the incarceration of Japanese Americans in the United States during World War II, the sexual abuse of "comfort women" by Japanese soldiers, and the recent controversy over the financial dealings between Swiss banks and Nazi Germany. He examines how the morally and politically charged acknowledgment of guilt can shake the power balance between two nations, or between a government and an internal minority. Barkan argues that, as countries including the United States, Australia, and New Zealand come to recognize past injustices toward indigenous peoples within their borders, both governments and minority groups are compelled to redress the history of colonialism and redefine national identity. While restitution is not a panacea, this ever-spreading political trend represents a new moral order in world politics.