How the World Got Modern

Something profoundly world-changing has happened over the last few centuries — something that separates the world today from most of human history: the dawn and development of the “modern” era!  But what exactly happened?  What precipitated the onset of modernity?  What is it that made the modern world modern?  Historians hotly disagree. Economic factors are clearly they’re a part of the story, but are they all of it?  What about the scientific method and scientific and technological discovery?  A shift in attitudes and values about commerce and progress?  What about the role of ruling elites?

In this month’s Cato Unbound we’ll explore some of the biggest of big questions: How did the world get modern, and what does it mean? At the top of the lineup we a lead essay by historian Stephen Davies, author of Empiricism and History. Commenting on Davies’ lead essay we’ll have George Mason’s Jack Goldstone, author of Why Europe? The Rise of the West in World History 1500-1850; UCLA’s Anthony Pagden, author of Peoples and Empires: Europeans and the Rest of the World, from Antiquity to the Present; and Cato Unbound’s own resident intellectual historian, Jason Kuznicki.

As always, Cato Unbound readers are encouraged to take up our themes, and enter into the conversation on their own websites and blogs, or on other venues. Trackbacks are enabled. Cato Unbound will search the web for the best commentary on our monthly topic, and, with permission, may publish it alongside our invited contributors. We also welcome your letters. (Send them to wwilkinson at cato.org.)