Summary:
The book explores the rise of Western civilization and its dominance over the past five centuries, attributing this success to six key 'killer applications': competition, science, democracy, medicine, consumerism, and the work ethic. It also examines the potential for these advantages to be adopted by non-Western societies, questioning whether the West can maintain its lead in the face of these global shifts.
Key points:
1. "Killer Apps": Ferguson identifies six key concepts that he believes led to Western civilization's dominance: competition, science, property rights, medicine, consumer society, and work ethic.
Books similar to "Civilization":
The Right Side of History
Ben Shapiro
Why the West Rules—for Now
Ian Morris
The Birth of Plenty
William J. Bernstein
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
Max Weber
Slouching Towards Utopia
Bradford DeLong
The Upside of Down
Charles Kenny
A Culture of Growth
Joel Mokyr
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
Max Weber
The Shape of the New
Scott L. Montgomery|Daniel Chirot
The Lessons of History
Will Durant|Ariel Durant