The Great Degeneration

How Institutions Decay and Economies Die

By: Niall Ferguson

Narrated by: Paul Slack

Length: 4 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Best-selling author and world-renowned historian Niall Ferguson has won widespread acclaim for thought-provoking works such as Civilization and High Financier. The Great Degeneration tackles nothing less than the decline of Western civilization. Ferguson posits that slowing growth, outrageous debt, and antisocial behavior are contributing to the erosion of the West’s once rock-solid foundations. Ferguson excavates the causes and shows how heroic leadership and radical reform are needed to right the course.

©2013 Niall Ferguson (P)2013 Recorded Books

Outdated, needs an update.

This is over ten years old and many of the predictions have failed to materialize. While history is a very good context for the present and future it needs to be continually referenced against the present.

Good but short

Where does The Great Degeneration rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

middle of the pack due to length

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

short

What does Paul Slack bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

n/a

If you could give The Great Degeneration a new subtitle, what would it be?

How Institutions affect a civilization.
I didn't really find the reasons why they decay.
More of a case as to the effect.
Insightful book though.

Any additional comments?

Niall Ferguson is good at economic history. No doubt.

Ferguson does it again. Brilliant!

This is a fascinating economic evaluation of current history. It is rational and there is no panic. Still its message is quite urgent.

rambling

Has some good points but generally rambles and fails to draw any meaningful conclusions. Misses the mark.

Superb as always!

Niall Ferguson gives an excellent analysis of the factors playing into the problems of todays modern socities of the West. Even though I would like to remain a cautious optimist about the future, if we believe the professor we will, especially in the developed part of the world, be in for a tough ride in the years to come. Too many things are in flux at the same time, and too little will among general population, politicians and the ruling elite to take the necessary actions needed to change course of future history. Due to inappropriate actions and lack of taking the right actions we have set ourselves on a difficult path.

I love this guy! Morrissey, Alan Turing and Niall

I was sorry it ended and am quickly going on to the next book by the same author.

Great take on our current reality

Excellent discussion of what is happening in America today- for better or worse.
Well thought out and articulated as you would expect from Ferguson.
Should be mandatory reading for any politician.

Interesting, pessimistic and a bit dated

Discussion of the problems facing the west from the optic of 2013 with some proposed policy changes that are open to debate. I did find it interesting that he cited analysis that predicted political violence in the US in 2020.

A great sumarization of Western Society

Book 39 of 2024

A great read on the decline of Western civilization (if you can call that great). The book covers the pillars (Law, Representative Government, Free Markets, and Society) and how they have eroded due to the ignorance of the American people who “trust” it will manage itself, with Liberty and her interest as the North star. As anyone who pays attention these days (and even the ignorant now are finding out) that is not the case, as bureaucratic inefficiency, regulatory overreach, political gridlock has led to weak public trust. Ferguson does a good job pointing these out with analysis based on history, case studies, and simple observation. This book ends with the call to wake up and take back the pillars of not only Western society, but the world it supports. This book hits the topic well enough for those who know can enjoy it, and those new to the ideas can follow along.

For all these reasons, I would give it 5 stars.

Ferguson at his best

Narrator is good and clear

Great story on how great societies can wreck themselves. You will get a "what not to do" list for great civilizations