Peak Human

What We Can Learn from the Rise and Fall of Golden Ages

Johan Norberg

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Paperback

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English

Atlantic Books
01 May 2025

Comparative politics; International economics; Economic history

Golden ages are marked by periods of spectacular cultural flourishing, scientific exploration, technological achievement and economic growth: Ancient Greece gave us democracy and the rule of the law; out of Abbasid Baghdad came algebra and modern medicine, and the Dutch Republic furnished us with Europe's greatest artistic movements. As such, each has unique lessons to teach us about the world we live in today. But, all previous golden ages have proven finite, whether through external pressures or internal fracturing.

In Peak Human, acclaimed historian Johan Norberg examines seven of humanity's greatest civilizations - ancient Athens, the Roman Republic, Abbasid Baghdad, Song China, Renaissance Italy, the Dutch Republic and the Anglosphere - and asks: how do we ensure that our current golden age doesn't end?

By: Johan Norberg
Imprint: Atlantic Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: Export/Airside
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781805463870
ISBN 10: 180546387X
Pages: 512
Publication Date: 01 May 2025
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Johan Norberg is a historian, lecturer and commentator. He is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington DC and his books have been translated into forty languages. His books include The Capitalist Manifesto, the international bestseller Progress and Open, which was an Economist book of the year. Norberg regularly writes for publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Reason and HuffPost.

Reviews for Peak Human: What We Can Learn from the Rise and Fall of Golden Ages

Clear, colourful and convincing, marshalling evidence from a range of eras and civilisations... The author is often amusing as well as illuminating. * The Economist on OPEN * Johan Norberg's superb book demonstrates, with hundreds of examples, how openness has been the key to the success of our species over 10,000 years and is the secret of prosperity and peace today. * Matt Ridley on OPEN * No person or society is smart enough or wise enough or noble enough to solve the wicked problems of life by themselves. With clarity and grace, Johan Norberg reminds us that openness to things and ideas from others is the only route to well-being. * Steven Pinker on OPEN * An excellent explanation of why capitalism is not just successful, but morally right * Elon Musk on THE CAPITALIST MANIFESTO *