Niall Ferguson asks why Western civilization came to dominate the rest of the world in the 15th century from its disadvantaged roots; when the West was overtaken by other nations.
Ferguson reveals that the killer apps of Western success—competition, science, property democracy, modern medicine, consumer society, and the Protestant work ethic—really explain how a conspicuous minority of humanity managed to get the lion’s share of resources for five centuries Earth.
first game. The first episode of the series began in 1420, when the Ming Dynasty of China declared itself the world’s most advanced civilization in the name of “all things under heaven”. England on the eve of the Wars of the Roses looked rather primitive by comparison.
2. Science. In 1683, Ottoman troops besieged Vienna, the capital of Europe’s most powerful empire. East ruling the West is a terrifyingly plausible scenario. But Islam was defeated: not so much by firepower as by science.
3. Property. Professor Ferguson asks why North America succeeded while South America lagged behind by so many centuries. The two have a lot in common (notably the oppression of indigenous peoples and slavery to European immigrants), but are very different in terms of individual property rights, the rule of law, and representative government.
4. Medicine. The French Empire consciously set out to civilize West Africa by improving public health and building modern infrastructure. But in other European empires—notably Germany in Southwest Africa—colonial rule led to genocide. What’s the Connection Between Medicine and Race Pseudoscience?
5. Consumerism. Today, the world is becoming more and more homogeneous, with big brands dominating the high streets, shopping streets and malls all over the world, with fewer and fewer exceptions.
6. Work. A sixth factor that allows the West to dominate the rest is work ethic. Max Weber famously associated it with Protestantism, but the reality is that any culture, regardless of religion, can embrace the spirit of capitalism by working hard, saving and accumulating capital.
