Long-Waves: Political and Economic Change in the Modern World

Historians, philosophers and social scientists have offered a wide variety of explanations as to how human history advances. Most of these explanations have been based on the linear development model of humans moving from a less advanced to a more advance state of existence - the Whig version of history - one of continuing progression. This version, however, has been challenged by conservatives who see no evident pattern to human history - often citing prolonged periods of continuity and occasional periods of reverse. This book offers a bridge between the two approaches by following the cyclical tradition of explaining human history. Modern societies have clearly seen political, economic and social advances, but these have followed a cyclical pattern and have experienced repeating periods of advance, continuity and occasional reverse. This book traces and explains the key cyclical developments of the modern world in order to offer a full and comprehensive understanding of the modern social era.