What's it about?

Niall Ferguson's "Civilization: The West and the Rest" examines the historical ascendancy of Western civilization over the past five centuries, proposing that six key "killer applications" – competition, science, property rights, medicine, consumption, and the work ethic – propelled its dominance. The book explores the development and impact of these factors, contrasting the West with other global powers like China and the Ottoman Empire. Ferguson analyzes pivotal historical moments and societal shifts, including the Industrial Revolution, the Enlightenment, and the rise of the United States, to understand the dynamics of Western power. Ultimately, the work questions whether this dominance is nearing its end in the face of rising Eastern powers and internal challenges within the West itself