Grand Transitions: How the Modern World Was Made
Vaclav Smil
Oct 2021 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Robert Fass
4.0star
2 reviewsreport
headphones
Audiobook
16 hr 15 min
Unabridged
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
Want a 1 hr 37 min sample? Listen anytime, even offline.
Add
About this audiobook
What makes the modern world work? The answer to this deceptively simple question lies in four "grand transitions" of civilization—in populations, agriculture, energy, and economics—which have transformed the way we live.
Societies that have undergone all four transitions emerge into an era of radically different population dynamics, food surpluses (and waste), abundant energy use, and expanding economic opportunities. Simultaneously, in other parts of the world, hundreds of millions remain largely untouched by these developments.
Through erudite storytelling, Vaclav Smil investigates the fascinating and complex interactions of these transitions. He argues that the moral imperative to share modernity's benefits has become more acute with increasing economic inequality, but addressing this imbalance would make it exceedingly difficult to implement the changes necessary for the long-term preservation of the environment. Thus, managing the fifth transition—environmental changes from natural-resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and global warming—will determine the success or eventual failure of the grand transitions that have made the world we live in today.
Societies that have undergone all four transitions emerge into an era of radically different population dynamics, food surpluses (and waste), abundant energy use, and expanding economic opportunities. Simultaneously, in other parts of the world, hundreds of millions remain largely untouched by these developments.
Through erudite storytelling, Vaclav Smil investigates the fascinating and complex interactions of these transitions. He argues that the moral imperative to share modernity's benefits has become more acute with increasing economic inequality, but addressing this imbalance would make it exceedingly difficult to implement the changes necessary for the long-term preservation of the environment. Thus, managing the fifth transition—environmental changes from natural-resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and global warming—will determine the success or eventual failure of the grand transitions that have made the world we live in today.
Ratings and reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Craig Aumann
- Flag inappropriate
January 27, 2025
As with other Smil books, very thoroughly researched and thoughtfully argued.
Rate this audiobook
Tell us what you think.
Listening information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can read books purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
