Book description
This book presents a global view of the demographic and economic development of mankind.
Professor Cipolla has deliberately adopted a new point of view and has tried to trace the history of the great trends in population and wealth which have affected mankind as a whole. For it would have been inadequate to regard such a global history as being merely the sum total of national economic hitories in abridged form.
Among the massive problems that face the human race the author emphasizes the demographic explosion, the economic backwardness of vast areas, the spread of industrial revolution and of technical knowledge. Whilst the theoretical approach can help our analysis of these problems, Professor Cipolla believes that they can only be wholly grasped and solved when they are studied in their full historical perspective.
CONTENTS:
1. The Two Revolutions
2. The Sources of Energy
3. Production and Consumption
4. Births and Deaths
5. How Many People?
6. An Age of Transition
