Cover of Tragedy and hope

Tragedy and hope

by Carroll Quigley · first published 1966

27mentions
11recommended by
21HN commenters
2009–2026first – last mentioned

52% recommend48% neutral

Why HN recommends it

A broad, long history of 20th-century politics and finance, framed around elite networks and the forces behind world events; readers cite it as a starting place for understanding how power and money shaped history.

Summarised by Claude from recommending comments

TRAGEDY AND HOPE shows the years 1895-1950 as a period of transition from the world dominated by Europe in the nineteenth century to the world of three blocs in the twentieth century. With clarity, perspective, and cumulative impact, Professor Quigley examines the nature of that transition through two world wars and a worldwide economic depression. As an interpretative historian, he tries to show each event in the full complexity of its historical context. The result is a unique work, notable in several ways. It gives a picture of the world in terms of the influence of different cultures and o

Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mentions per year

60 2007: 0 mentions2008: 0 mentions2009: 1 mention2010: 2 mentions2011: 1 mention2012: 0 mentions2013: 1 mention2014: 0 mentions2015: 1 mention2016: 6 mentions2017: 3 mentions2018: 1 mention2019: 0 mentions2020: 1 mention2021: 3 mentions2022: 3 mentions2023: 0 mentions2024: 0 mentions2025: 0 mentions2026: 1 mention200720172026

What Hacker News says

  • sjwalter · Oct 20, 2021 · Recommends

    I think if you read World Economic Forum's writings and know a little history (Tragedy & Hope by Quigley is a good place to start), the coming chaos which will possibly impact the mere 1%ers--with highly-paid doctors and lawyers getting possibly mistakenly mixed into the targets of rage--is all part of the plan. WEF & Klaus Schwab's Great Reset intend to weaken the USA, because it is too independ

    on “Is the world economy entering a wage-price spiral?” ↗
  • arca_vorago · Sep 23, 2017 · Recommends

    The ones that cut through the stale version taught in schools. Mostly Carroll Quigley's works like Tragedy and Hope, Anglo-American Establishment, or The Evolution of Civilizations. Another I consider at the level of Quigley is Anthony Sutton. There are quite a few less academically accurate books that are good eye…

    on “Ask HN: What are your favorite history books?” ↗
  • raintrees · Jan 30, 2022 · Recommends

    If interested, for more data including names and dates, try Carroll Quigley's Anglo-American Establishment or his Tragedy and Hope. For a shorter version, try Joe Plummer's Tragedy and Hope 101. If true, not all is as it appears. But then, in the day and age of propaganda, when is it?

    on “War Is a Racket (1933)” ↗
  • arminiusreturns · Apr 15, 2022 · Recommends

    …— i.e., Bolshevik socialism in Russia, New Deal socialism in the United States, and National socialism in Germany. Contemporary academic histories, with perhaps the sole exception of Carroll Quigley's Tragedy And Hope, ignore this evidence. On the other hand, it is understandable that universities and research organizations, dependent on financial aid from foundations that are controlled by this same New York financial…

    on “They Thought They Were Free: The Germans, 1933-45” ↗
  • jackfoxy · Jun 22, 2010 · Recommends

    Carroll Quigley,who Bill Clinton called "his mentor", spent much of his great tome "Tragedy and Hope", http://www.amazon.com/Tragedy-Hope-History-World-Time/dp/094..., writing the history of the intertwined relationship of the ruling and financial elites. Skip the second-hand histrionics you may read…

    on “The Quiet Coup (2009)” ↗
  • retrogradeorbit · May 29, 2015 · Recommends

    …global computer network where things that leak can be discovered by the masses. What's different now is you are finding out that these secrets exits. Before the Internet, the secrets stayed secret. Give "Tragedy and Hope" by Carroll Quigley a read. None of this is new. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carroll_Quigley http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_and_Hope

    on “TISA: Yet Another Treaty You've Never Heard of Makes Secret Internet Rules” ↗
  • jstewartmobile · Nov 18, 2016 · Recommends

    Two books: - John Taylor Gatto's "The Underground History of American Education" - Carroll Quigley's "Tragedy and Hope"

    on “Ask HN: What book did you read in 2016 that was so good you gifted it to others?” ↗
  • briantakita · Jan 25, 2017 · Recommends

    Two other good books that explain the geopolitical history/algorithms: Propaganda - by Edward Bernays http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/bernprop.html > THE conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is

    on “George Orwell’s 1984 is currently the top selling book on Amazon” ↗
  • dosman33 · Jul 23, 2026 · Recommends

    AI is the industrial revolution finally arriving at the land of information and software development, full stop. Read Carroll Quigley's Tragedy and Hope if you want to understand whats happening and see a roadmap of whats ahead. What happened during the agricultural revolution, industrial revolution, and financial revolution is already happening to software…

    on “Making” ↗
  • nwzpaperman · Apr 21, 2013 · Recommends

    …saving our benevolent banks. The MIC needs money to enforce all of our legal contracts. Tesla didn't have a prediction to make because it is the same today as it was then. Read some history, yo! "Tragedy and Hope" is one place to start--not to be confused with finish.

    on “Nikola Tesla’s Predictions for the 21st Century” ↗
  • GeorgeTirebiter · Jan 30, 2022 · Recommends

    https://tragedyandhope.com/ The text is available for download. "Tragedy and Hope" is the most important History / Political book of the 20th Century. If you want to know how the world Really Works, this is your guidebook.

    on “War Is a Racket (1933)” ↗
  • jackfoxy · Sep 18, 2011 · Mentions

    …3-volume history of the Civil War, and The Origen of Species. (It's real easy for me to spot folks who spoot-off about Wealth or Origen who have not actually read the books.) My program culminated with Tragedy and Hope, which being such an inflammatory work, I did not trust to read without the full background of history. The process was like watching Western Civilization unfolding. Now for the unintended consequences:…

    on “PG's Rarely Asked Questions” ↗
  • jackfoxy · Sep 19, 2011 · Mentions

    I've meant to compile this list, so you just inspired me. I wish the Durants had had the stamina for one more volume. I don't know much about the European revolutions of 1848 and would have like to read about that time from them. I already had read a lot of ancient Greek literature in translation as well as The Pentateuch, all the historical books of the Old Testament and the Gospels. Western Civi

    on “PG's Rarely Asked Questions” ↗
  • jackfoxy · Feb 23, 2021 · Mentions

    …central tenant of the Communist Manifesto. https://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/communist/full-text/bo... Also Carroll Quigley, mentor of Bill Clinton, expressed shocking disdain toward the bourgeoisie in Tragedy and Hope. https://www.amazon.com/Tragedy-Hope-History-World-Time/dp/09... Is it much exaggeration to say the message from the far left and from the establishment to those who staked all their capital on one or…

    on “The Victims of the Eviction Moratorium” ↗
  • mcantelon · Nov 4, 2010 · Mentions

    …Instead, the two parties should be almost identical, so that the American people can 'throw the rascals out' at any election without leading to any profound or extreme shifts in policy." - Carrol Quigley, Tragedy and Hope Quigley was an influential thinker and historian, and cited as an influence by Bill Clinton. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carroll_Quigley#Influence_on_Bi...

    on “Eliminating Political Parties (Scott Adams)” ↗

Keyboard shortcuts

/
Focus search
j / k
Next / previous book
Enter
Open focused book
Esc
Close / go back
g h
Go to Home
g t
Go to Top all-time
g m
Go to Most recommended
g r
Go to Rising
g f
Go to For You
?
Show this help