Publisher's Synopsis
This book highlights events and policies that have contributed to prosperity and material well-being throughout the world - as well as those that have resulted in continued "underdevelopment" for many nations. The first half of the book surveys world history (with an emphasis on Europe) from ancient times to the end of the 18th century, seeking the underlying reasons for Europe's (and America's) higher living standards.;The second half investigates in greater detail the related processes of industrialization and urbanization that transformed Europe, America and the world in the 19th and 20th centuries.
