Über Jahrtausende hinweg entsprach der Lebensstandard fast aller Menschen weltweit mehr oder weniger dem Existenzminimum, bis er Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts drastisch anstieg. Viele Nationen genießen heute beispiellosen Wohlstand, andere haben den Sprung aus der wirtschaftlichen Stagnation noch...

For almost all of history, people were extremely poor. Beginning in the seventeenth century, European countries (and their overseas extensions) began to grow extremely wealthy. Since World War II, enrichment has spread around the world with the “Asian Tigers” of Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan,...

This book highlights the contribution of language standardization to the economic rise of the West between 1600 and 1860. Previous studies have been unable to explain why during this period almost all industrial innovation was confined to small areas around the main cultural centers of three...

Part I. Poverty is on the run -- Part II. Enrichment didn't come for the reasons you imagine -- Part III. It came because ideas, ethics, rhetoric, and ideology changed -- Part IV. The causes of the causes were not racial or ancient.

Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Part I. Poverty Is on the Run -- 1. Liberalism Liberated -- 2. It's the End of the World as They Knew It, and You Should Feel Pretty Good -- 3. Nostalgia and Pessimism Worsen Poverty -- 4. Under Liberalism the Formerly Poor Can Flourish Ethically and Spiritually...