Description
Book SynopsisâœCompact and immensely readable . . . a tour de force. Prepare to be amazed.â â John C. Bogle, Founder and Former CEO, The Vanguard Group âœVitalâa cogent, timely journey through the economic history of the modern world.â â Publishers Weekly
In The Birth of Plenty, William Bernstein, the bestselling author of The Four Pillars of Investing, presents his provocative, highly acclaimed theory of why prosperity has been the engine of civilization for the last 200 years.
This is a fascinating, irresistibly written âœbig-pictureâ work that highlights and explains the impact of four elements that when occurring simultaneously, are the fundamental building blocks for human progress:
- Property rights, which drive creativity
- Scientific rationalism, which permits the freedom to innovate without fear of retribution;
- Capital markets, which provide funding for people to pursue their visions;
- Transportation/communication, which allows for the effective
Table of Contents
Preface; Introduction;Section I - The Sources of Growth; Chapter 1. A Hypothesis of Wealth; Chapter 2. Property; Chapter 3. Reason; Chapter 4. Capital; Chapter 5. Power, Speed, and Light; Chapter 6. Synthesis of Growth; Section II: Nations; Chapter 7. The Winners-Holland and England; Chapter 8. Runners-Up; Chapter 9. The Last; Section III: Consequences; Chapter 10. God, Culture, Mammon, and the Hedonic Treadmill; Chapter 11. The Great Trade-Off; Chapter 12. Mammon and Mars; Chapter 13. The End of Growth?; Chapter 14. When, Where, and Whither
