The third of the books that i have mentioned tainter did not deal with the collapse of civilizations in real time, and that is what this book appears to make an. The great degeneration by niall ferguson the boston globe. Fergusons book without an index lays blame for the wests decline on the failure of institutions, while poopooing culture as fundamental in that decline. The decline of the west is something that has long been prophesied. The great degeneration tackles nothing less than the decline of. One politician who seems to have responded is david cameron whose promotion of the great society echoes fergusons call for a higher level of volunteering and a realization that people can still do much to help themselves. Fergusons institutions of note are democracy, overregulated economies, improper laws, and dead social capital. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want.
Rent seeking dominates the economic and political process and public debt on such a scale as to ensnare the young to poverty while enabling the older generation to live. The latest work from niall ferguson, bestselling author of empire, the great degneration is based on his 2012 bbc reith lectures the rule of law and its enemies the decline of the west is something that has long been prophesied. Review of the great degeneration by niall ferguson. But suffice it to say that its a book you need to read if you want to understand the threats facing the west and its economy. Its central thesis is that what was true of china in smiths day is true of large parts of the western world in our time. Niall ferguson is one of the worlds most renowned historians. Though the book is a short one and written for a nonspecialist audience, ferguson develops a very strong case to illustrate how the hollowing out of the rule of law, the deterioration of representative government into soft despotism. The great degeneration book midcontinent public library. From the bestselling author of the ascent of money and the square and the tower, a searching and provocative examination of. Jan 08, 2020 the great degeneration explains why all of those institutions are dying and what their disappearance means for the west. He is the author of paper and iron, the house of rothschild, the pity of war, the cash nexus, empire, colossus, the war of the world, the ascent of money, high financier, civilization, the great degeneration, kissinger, 19231968.
The answer, niall ferguson argues in the great degeneration, is that our institutionsthe intricate frameworks within which a society can flourish or failare degenerating. Let me start by noting i agree with niall fergusons principal charge. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. I am putting it up here because i think this book is important enough that every informed person should read it. The great degeneration tackles nothing less than the decline of western civilization. The great degeneration is an incisive indictment of an era of negligence and complacency. The great degeneration by niall ferguson cd audio book s48.
Bestselling author and worldrenowned historian niall ferguson has won widespread acclaim for thoughtprovoking works such as civilization and high financier. While the arab world struggles to adopt democracy and china struggles to move from economic liberalization to the rule of law, our society is squandering the institutional inheritance of centuries. Ferguson has produced a succinct and insightful book about the major political and economic issues confronting our country today. It suggests that a decline in western institutions is partly to blame. To stop us frittering away the institutional inheritance of centuries, ferguson warns, will take heroic leadership and radical reform. It advances a minispenglerian thesis aiming to account for the decline of the longtime era of western progress, prosperity, confidence, and power.
The great degeneration is a powerful indictment of an era of negligence and complacency. According to him, a great economic collapse awaits the yet unborn future generations, who will have to pay the loans of their fathers and grandfathers. The great degeneration is the most disappointing book i have read by ferguson. This is another book that looks at the economic history of various civilizations and then finds common threads on why those civilizations degenerated over time. The great degeneration book halifax public libraries. If there is one book in the realm of history or political science any informed person needs to read this year then niall fergusons the great degeneration. The great degeneration is the latest, provocative work from niall ferguson, bestselling author of the ascent of money. The latest work from niall ferguson, bestselling author of empire, the great degneration is based on his 2012 bbc reith lectures the rule of law and its enemiesthe decline of the west is something that has long been prophesied. The great degeneration book king county library system.
The great degeneration is another book that ought to be mandatory reading for every american but then someone would have to translate it to a seventh grade reading level so most of us could understand it. I have read almost all of niall fergusons books, some more than twice. The great degeneration explains why all of those institutions are dying and what their disappearance means for the west. The great degeneration is a brief book drawn from lectures and rendered in a forceful style of writing that perhaps works better if heard rather than read. The author writes a compelling book about the degeneration of the united states and offers pragmatic advice on what we do to stem the degeneration of our great country. Rock cds great white, gateway to the great books, john grisham audio books cd, learn spanish audio cd, the great mouse detective book, music cds greatest hits great white, frederick the great books, single cds great white, audio cds plays in japanese. Buy the great degeneration unabridged audiobook 4cd by niall ferguson isbn. Because its such a short book, i dont want to give too much away. While the arab world struggles to adopt democracy, and while china struggles to move from economic liberalization to the rule of law, the west. The great degeneration audiobook by niall ferguson. Niall ferguson, a senior fellow at the hoover institution, discussed the falling quality of american institutions in his talk entitled the great degeneration. Terms like liberal and conservative, which have always had very different meanings in the united states, canada, and the u. Rent seeking dominates the economic and political process and public debt on such a scale as to ensnare the young to poverty while enabling the older generation to live at the cost of the young and the unborn.
In his new book the great degeneration, harvard historian niall ferguson draws upon a range of social sciences, including his own field of history, to develop. Review of the great degeneration by niall ferguson genz. The great degeneration by niall ferguson penguin books. With characteristic verve and historical insight, ferguson analyzes the causes of this stagnation and its profound consequences for the future of the west. No ones mind will be changed by karls book, but its a valuable report from the scene of an ongoing train wreck. The decline of the west is something that has long been pro. The great degeneration 2014 aims to tackle why this is the case. Click download or read online button to get the great degeneration book now. From the bestselling author of the ascent of money and the square and the tower, a searching and provocative examination. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. An examination of institutional dysfunction in the western world argues that such values as a free market and representative government are being compromised while future generations are inheriting unmanageable levels of debt. The great recession, he claims, is merely a symptom of a more profound great degeneration p. Ferguson is not at all optimistic about the future of western culture and america in particular.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the great degeneration. Only by arresting this decline through radical reform can the west recover. In the words of the author, the great recession is merely a symptom of a more profound great degeneration. For many years now its been clear that our political glossary has been in need of some updating. To arrest the degeneration of the wests civilization, ferguson warns, will take heroic leadership and radical reform. The great degeneration audiobook niall ferguson audible. Symptoms of decline are all around us today, it seems. Jul 05, 20 the great degeneration by niall ferguson. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read.
The great degeneration is an incisive indictment of an era of negligence and complacencyand to arrest the breakdown of our civilization. The great recession is merely a symptom of a more profound great degeneration. Jun 30, 20 the great degeneration by niall ferguson. He is not only a brilliant historian, but also an amazing story teller. The great degeneration navy general library program. The great degeneration is an incisive indictment of an era of negligence and complacencyand to arrest the breakdown of our civilization, ferguson warns, will take heroic leadership and radical reform. The great degeneration download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Niall fergusons book should be compulsory reading for all who aspire to public office in western democracies.
The great degeneration by niall ferguson goodreads. It is our laws and institutions that are the problem. The great degeneration by niall ferguson this is ashok. Jan 30, 2014 the great degeneration is a powerful indictment of an era of negligence and complacency. About the great degeneration from the bestselling author of the ascent of money and the square and the tower, a searching and provocative examination of the widespread institutional rot that threatens our collective future. A great book, essential reading for everybody concerned with the crisis of the state of the western world.
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