Buy new:
$19.20
Temporarily out of stock.
Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your account will only be charged when we ship the item.
$$19.20 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$19.20
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Delivery cost, delivery date and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon AU
Ships from
Amazon AU
Sold by
Amazon AU
Sold by
Amazon AU
Returns
Eligible for change of mind returns within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for change of mind returns within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition within 30 days of receipt for change of mind. If this item is damaged or defective, you may be entitled to a remedy after 30 days. Visit Returning Faulty Items for more information.
Read our returns policies
Returns
Eligible for change of mind returns within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition within 30 days of receipt for change of mind. If this item is damaged or defective, you may be entitled to a remedy after 30 days. Visit Returning Faulty Items for more information.
Read our returns policies
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer—no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera, scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Ronald Wright
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

A Short History Of Progress Mass Market Paperback – 2 May 2005

by Ronald Wright (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 499
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$19.20","priceAmount":19.20,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"19","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"20","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"G1vsY03c8Q3VssT%2BWmOHWS4oV2S8OcVNStRAptaKzmbFewjdZBI5SQhu2HH54%2BXEVLozOkwuO7E6asBZp7OHxntF6w5anA98WAie%2FRLGnxu%2B0OVkCrhIgQ1MrH9pwp0HTO0NtS%2BfF0aP6wM3h5vS4zqD2kbF5RMI","locale":"en-AU","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

2004 Massey Lectures series as broadcast on ABC radio The twentieth century was a time of runaway growth in human population, consumption and technology, all of which placed tremendous demands on earth, air and water-the very elements of life. The urgent question of the twenty-first century is how, or whether, this can continue.
In A Short History of Progress, a runaway bestseller in his native Canada, Ronald Wright explains how our current predicament is as old as civilization. He brilliantly argues that only by understanding the patterns of progress and folly that humanity has repeated everywhere from ancient Rome to Easter Island can we learn to change our ways, and, with luck and wisdom, avoid a disastrous outcome.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Publisher
    Text Publishing
  3. Publication date
    2 May 2005
  4. Dimensions
    12.9 x 1.6 x 19.9 cm
  5. ISBN-10
    192088579X
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1920885793
  7. See all details
Next page

From the brand

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Text Publishing; 1st edition (2 May 2005)
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 192088579X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1920885793
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.9 x 1.6 x 19.9 cm
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 499

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Ronald Wright

Ronald Wright

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs, and more

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
499 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Top reviews from Australia

There are 0 reviews and 1 rating from Australia

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Ashley G.
5.0 out of 5 stars Super interesting read! If you're a curious person then you'll enjoy this :)
Reviewed in Canada on 10 January 2023
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this book! So I bought a copy for my mom for Xmas. I thought I'd read every book there is on human history/evolution, but this one still managed to surprise and delight me. A quick read and learned a lot - thanks!! I find myself quoting it all the time "hey, did you know...." lol
Report
クラウリー　ケビン
5.0 out of 5 stars Great short read; highly recommended
Reviewed in Japan on 1 March 2020
Verified Purchase
Very easy to digest and interesting book!
Report
Manuel
5.0 out of 5 stars ¿A donde vamos?
Reviewed in Spain on 6 May 2015
Verified Purchase
Un último capítulo sobre la situación actual y desarrollo futuro de la civilización y su (nuestro) futuro, con conclusiones basadas en el contenido de los capítulos anteriores. Un excelente libro.
Report
Billbloggs
5.0 out of 5 stars Progress towards another collapse of civilisation?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 February 2014
Verified Purchase
Best history lesson I have ever had!
We all need to be made more aware that many great civilisations have collapsed before.
This book says it all. They have all died out due to overpopulation and overconsumption of their limited resources.
Sadly. If this "global civilisation" of ours goes down, we will probably take the whole planet down with it!
With over 7 billion humans on this finite planet already, collectively consuming at the rate of over 1.5 planets, and with around 75 million more human consumers arriving every year, this seems increasingly likely - unless we change our ways PBQ!
The quest for ever more economic growth must cease. A steady state economy must become the new norm.
This little book ought to be compulsory reading. particularly by politicians and world leaders, and above all economists - who seem to think think continuous economic growth (i.e. ever increasing consumption by ever increasing numbers of people) is possible on a finite planet!
"Sustainable development" and "sustainable growth" are complete and utter oxymorons on a finite planet!
2 people found this helpful
 Report
Constantin Sander
5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive documentary
Reviewed in Germany on 7 December 2013
Verified Purchase
Mankind has the unique ability to ask the question “why”? No other species on earth does. We can think about reasons and purpose. But do we really ask this question? Are we aware of the things we drive forward every day? At the very beginning the film asks “What is progress? “ An easy question one may think. But it isn’t. It makes people think. Even experts struggle. The film strikes the question how we want to define progress and what kind of progress did we produce the last 200 years since the industrial revolution. Who is the winner and who are the losers of this process? And what will happen, if we export our nowadays concept of progress to developing countries like China, India and Brazil? The film show that we are at the edge of the development of our species. And it makes clear that we should make up our mind – if we want to survive. This movie is a must for each class, each company, each party and each government. We all should answer the question ”why?”
Report