Why the West Rules - For Now
by Ian Morris · first published 2010
59% recommend38% neutral3% critical
Why HN recommends it
Sweeping world history that quantifies human development across eras and compares the West with China, putting geography at the center. Suits readers who liked Guns, Germs and Steel and want a follow-up or counterweight.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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…Steel is rather extreme in suggesting an 'geological determinism.' [1] While his arguments are generally quite good, there is simply quite a bit more happening. A nice book to balance this is Ian Morris, Why the West Rules--For Now. [1] Jarred Diamond actually warns of this determinism fallacy, but the book certainly left me with the impression that such a determinism exists.
on “That Daily Shower Can Be a Killer” ↗I agree with both your points--at least with respect to Guns Germs and Steel. Arguably he way overextended his basic research in later works. An interesting supplement to Diamond is Ian Morris' Why the West Rules--for Now: The Patterns of History, and What They Reveal About the Future. To greatly oversimplify, Morris endorses the idea of a Western core headstart (with credit to Diamond) but then basically says "Well, yeah,…
on “Should we stop believing Malcolm Gladwell?” ↗Good point. If GG&S changed the way you think, I'd highly recommend following it up with either the book from that review (Eric Wolf's "Europe and the People without History") or Ian Morris's "Why The West Rules, For Now".
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗Why The West Rules, by Ian Morris - pretty much a continuation of Guns Germs and Steel that takes over where GGS ended: Eurasia rules because geography, but why Europe and not China? Part of the book is a system of points…
on “7k-year-old well is the oldest wooden structure ever discovered” ↗I'd add Why the West Rules for Now by Ian Morris. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_the_West_Rules%E2%80%94For... It makes the (to me) convincing argument that geographic determinism, while important, doesn't really explain why the western…
on “Why some nations are rich and others poor (2016)” ↗I heard those same opinions and based on recommendations from r/AskHistorians they suggest Why The West Rules - For Now by Ian Morris as a replacement.
on “The Best Books on the Great Divergence” ↗In the same genre Ian Morris Why the west rules - for now is also very good. ( And if you did not already read it, Collapse by Diamond.)
on “Computer simulations suggest war drove the rise of civilizations” ↗When Smith wrote, China had already fallen behind. Unlike the United States, they have been there for 3000 years, though. I recommend "Why the West rules - for now" by Ian Morris if you want to get an idea of this.
on “Why the World Is Too Optimistic About China's Economic Future” ↗…read it though. Teach us to sit still - Tim Parks __ Not something you'd give to anyone but if the person is a little intrigued by meditation then this book will probably get them to start doing it. Why the West Rules for Now: The patterns of history and what they reveal about the future __ I had learned the history of certain periods in certain locations but this book brought it all together into a cohesive narrative. Highly…
on “Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?” ↗…list of the last great books I've read which are available in English (some 'Ive read in other languages): - History of Western Philosophy, by Bertrand Russell : This is a wonderful book. Read it. - Why the West rules -- for now, Ian Morris : How geography drives history. really deep and thought-provoking. - the Strange Defeat, Marc Bloch : A gripping, living narration of the French armies collapse in 1940, from the inside…
on “Ask HN: 2018 Summer Reading List?” ↗I recommend Why the West Rules by Ian Morris. He has various comparison of “The West” vs China from the dawn of civilisation.
on “I’m leaving China” ↗…History of Humankind * Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely * A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson * The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins * Why the West Rules—for Now: The Patterns of History, and What They Reveal About the Future by Ian Morris * What a Wonderful World: One Man's Attempt to Explain the Big Stuff by Marcus Chown * The Vital Question: Energy, Evolution,…
on “Ask HN: Books to better understand the world?” ↗Not a historian, but _Why the West Rules - For Now_ by Ian Morris was a good read. Covers the sweep of world history with the audacious goal of quantifying human development at all moments in history. It mainly focuses on the west (starting in the Mesopotamian…
on “Why books don't work (2019)” ↗Wow, makes sense. Makes me really interested to read more about Indian history. I like "Why the West Rules - for now" by Ian Morris, for world history. Can you recommend a book?
on “Ask HN: What Happened to India?” ↗There's a very good book that goes into it (and other things) by Ian Morris - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_the_West_Rules%E2%80%94For...
on “Underrated Reasons to Be Thankful” ↗