Synopsis
By looking at human history from its very beginning, the author argues disasters, downturns and setbacks are just part of a millenia-long cycle of increasing prosperity that will continue through the 21st century and beyond. By the author of Genome. 100,000 first printing.
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From the Back Cover
Life is getting better&;and at an accelerating rate. Food availability, income, and life span are up; disease, child mortality, and violence are down &; all across the globe. Though the world is far from perfect, necessities and luxuries alike are getting cheaper; population growth is slowing; Africa is following Asia out of poverty; the Internet, the mobile phone, and container shipping are enriching people&;s lives as never before. The pessimists who dominate public discourse insist that we will soon reach a turning point and things will start to get worse. But they have been saying this for two hundred years.
Yet Matt Ridley does more than describe how things are getting better. He explains why. Prosperity comes from everybody working for everybody else. The habit of exchange and specialization&;which started more than 100,000 years ago&;has created a collective brain that sets human living standards on a rising trend. The mutual dependence, trust, and sharing that result are causes for hope, not despair.
This bold book covers the entire sweep of human history, from the Stone Age to the Internet, from the stagnation of the Ming empire to the invention of the steam engine, from the population explosion to the likely consequences of climate change. It ends with a confident assertion that thanks to the ceaseless capacity of the human race for innovative change, and despite inevitable disasters along the way, the twenty-first century will see both human prosperity and natural biodiversity enhanced. Acute, refreshing, and revelatory, The Rational Optimist will change your way of thinking about the world for the better.
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The Rational Optimist : How Prosperity Evolves
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HarperCollins Publishers, 2010
ISBN 10: 006145205X
ISBN 13: 9780061452055
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The Rational Optimist : How Prosperity Evolves
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ISBN 10: 006145205X
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The Rational Optimist : How Prosperity Evolves
Published by
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ISBN 10: 006145205X
ISBN 13: 9780061452055
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Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
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The Rational Optimist : How Prosperity Evolves
Published by
HarperCollins Publishers, 2010
ISBN 10: 006145205X
ISBN 13: 9780061452055
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Seller: Better World Books: West, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
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Condition: Very Good. 5th Printing. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 4801769-75