A Culture of Growth
Joel Mokyr
A classic book now available on audio
With narration by Anu Anand, who tells the story of how Enlightenment culture sparked the Industrial Revolution
During the late eighteenth century, innovations in Europe triggered the Industrial Revolution and the sustained economic progress that spread across the globe. While much has been made of the details of the Industrial Revolution, what remains a mystery is why it took place at all. Why did this revolution begin in the West and not elsewhere, and why did it continue, leading to today's unprecedented prosperity? In this groundbreaking book, celebrated economic historian Joel Mokyr argues that a culture of growth specific to early modern Europe and the European Enlightenment laid the foundations for the scientific advances and pioneering inventions that would instigate explosive technological and economic development. Bringing together economics, the history of science and technology, and models of cultural evolution, Mokyr demonstrates that culture—the beliefs, values, and preferences in society that are capable of changing behavior—was a deciding factor in societal transformations.
Mokyr looks at the period 1500–1700 to show that a politically fragmented Europe fostered a competitive "market for ideas" and a willingness to investigate the secrets of nature. At the same time, a transnational community of brilliant thinkers known as the “Republic of Letters” freely circulated and distributed ideas and writings. This political fragmentation and the supportive intellectual environment explain how the Industrial Revolution happened in Europe but not China, despite similar levels of technology and intellectual activity. In Europe, heterodox and creative thinkers could find sanctuary in other countries and spread their thinking across borders. In contrast, China’s version of the Enlightenment remained controlled by the ruling elite.
Duration - 15h 49m.
Author - Joel Mokyr.
Narrator - Anu Anand.
Published Date - Sunday, 01 January 2023.
Copyright - © 2017 Princeton University Press ©.
Location:
United States
Description:
A classic book now available on audio With narration by Anu Anand, who tells the story of how Enlightenment culture sparked the Industrial Revolution During the late eighteenth century, innovations in Europe triggered the Industrial Revolution and the sustained economic progress that spread across the globe. While much has been made of the details of the Industrial Revolution, what remains a mystery is why it took place at all. Why did this revolution begin in the West and not elsewhere, and why did it continue, leading to today's unprecedented prosperity? In this groundbreaking book, celebrated economic historian Joel Mokyr argues that a culture of growth specific to early modern Europe and the European Enlightenment laid the foundations for the scientific advances and pioneering inventions that would instigate explosive technological and economic development. Bringing together economics, the history of science and technology, and models of cultural evolution, Mokyr demonstrates that culture—the beliefs, values, and preferences in society that are capable of changing behavior—was a deciding factor in societal transformations. Mokyr looks at the period 1500–1700 to show that a politically fragmented Europe fostered a competitive "market for ideas" and a willingness to investigate the secrets of nature. At the same time, a transnational community of brilliant thinkers known as the “Republic of Letters” freely circulated and distributed ideas and writings. This political fragmentation and the supportive intellectual environment explain how the Industrial Revolution happened in Europe but not China, despite similar levels of technology and intellectual activity. In Europe, heterodox and creative thinkers could find sanctuary in other countries and spread their thinking across borders. In contrast, China’s version of the Enlightenment remained controlled by the ruling elite. Duration - 15h 49m. Author - Joel Mokyr. Narrator - Anu Anand. Published Date - Sunday, 01 January 2023. Copyright - © 2017 Princeton University Press ©.
Language:
English
Chapter 1
Duration:00:05:37
Chapter 2
Duration:00:37:51
Chapter 3
Duration:00:17:50
Chapter 4
Duration:00:38:08
Chapter 5
Duration:00:26:27
Chapter 6
Duration:00:43:56
Chapter 7
Duration:00:32:30
Chapter 8
Duration:01:13:02
Chapter 9
Duration:00:47:02
Chapter 10
Duration:01:06:43
Chapter 11
Duration:01:04:57
Chapter 12
Duration:00:36:11
Chapter 13
Duration:01:11:19
Chapter 14
Duration:01:06:05
Chapter 15
Duration:00:59:30
Chapter 16
Duration:00:54:32
Chapter 17
Duration:00:49:44
Chapter 18
Duration:00:46:35
Chapter 19
Duration:00:49:47
Chapter 20
Duration:00:52:49
Chapter 21
Duration:00:09:23