Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century

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AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER, LONGLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR, AND A FINANCIAL TIMES BEST ECONOMICS BOOK OF THE YEAR. From a leading economist comes a sweeping history of the twentieth century, a time that made us richer yet left us profoundly dissatisfied. Before 1870, most lived in dire poverty, with slow technological advancements offset by population growth. A significant shift occurred as invention accelerated, doubling our technological capabilities each generation while creatively destroying the economy repeatedly. This narrative explores the major economic and technological transformations of the 20th century. DeLong vividly details the explosion of material wealth post-1870 that improved living standards globally and liberated humanity from centuries of poverty. However, this progress also led to unprecedented inequality, global warming, and widespread discontent. The text poses critical questions: How did the long twentieth century fail to deliver the utopia envisioned by our ancestors? Why has humanity's progress resembled a slouch rather than a march towards improvement? Ultimately, it reflects on lessons from the past to inform the pursuit of a better future.