The Ages of Globalization

Geography, Technology, and Institutions

By: Jeffrey D. Sachs

Narrated by: Steve Menasche

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Today's most urgent problems are fundamentally global. They require nothing less than concerted, planetwide action if we are to secure a long-term future. But humanity's story has always been on a global scale.

Sachs takes listeners through a series of seven distinct waves of technological and institutional change, starting with the original settling of the planet by early modern humans through long-distance migration and ending with reflections on today's globalization.

Along the way, he considers how the interplay of geography, technology, and institutions influenced the Neolithic revolution; the role of the horse in the emergence of empires; the spread of large land-based empires in the classical age; the rise of global empires after the opening of sea routes from Europe to Asia and the Americas; and the industrial age.

The dynamics of these past waves, Sachs demonstrates, offer fresh perspective on the ongoing processes taking place in our own time - a globalization based on digital technologies. Sachs emphasizes the need for new methods of international governance and cooperation to prevent conflicts and to achieve economic, social, and environmental objectives aligned with sustainable development.

The Ages of Globalization is a vital book for all listeners aiming to make sense of our rapidly changing world.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Jeffrey D. Sachs (P)2020 Tantor

Amazing

Required reading for everyone...check every fact 100% &
the Narration flawless!
that's my opinion?
👍🏾

My Favorite Economist!

One of favorite books on human history and how we got to where we are today is "Guns, Germs, and Steel", by Jared Diamond. This book builds on Jared Diamond's work and takes us forward to 2020. Sachs is a prominent economist who worked on the fascinating task of try to help formerly Communist countries convert to more market based economies. He had good success in Poland and several other countries, but was unsuccessful in Russia due to circumstances beyond his control. His resume is also impressive in more recent years with work on sustainable development as an advisor to the UN Secretary General, among many other things, and chairing the Lancet Commission investigating the origins of COVID 19, where he has been a breath of fresh air in reporting honestly on this subject. Sachs also describes the successful Nordic economies and their social democrat systems as models for sustainable development. So he hits a trifecta for me: Nordic social democracy, sustainable development, and recognition of western cultural/governance problems (although the latter is not covered much in this book which is rather about the evolution of human civilization as seen from an economic perspective.) 5 STARS!!!!!

Excellent listen both with content and narration

Jeffrey Sachs did an excellent job explaining how we got here and where we are headed. Narrator was excellent.

Narrator.

Poor choice. As in so many audiobooks, it can be the difference between enjoyment or not. I rather listen to the author even if his or her’s voice and or pronunciation aren’t ridiculous enough for the publishing agent’s bad taste; at least the author’s voice and pronunciation would be authentic and not embellished for sophistication appearance purposes.

A Disappointing and Pathetic Waste of Time

Though Sachs starts out by noting human evolution in and out of Africa --- his Ages of Globalizaton devolves into a pathetically ignorant document, perhaps purposely, of the exponential economic, technological and cultural role of Africans over the last 6,000-plus years --- across the continent itself, Eurasia, Asia, Europe and the Americas. No amount of 20th or 21st century Euro-centric shell games can erase, marginalize or ignore the anthropological records. Sachs would have been more informed and factual if he had researched most anthropologist from these cultures. As a point of historical fact, remember, there has never been a "Dark Age" in Africa --- until the colonization and enslavement era. Expecting better, Sachs' lame attempt was a certified waste of time. Perhaps Sachs can learn why there are pyramid structures from the Sudan to Central America. Perhaps he can read, They Came Before Columbus by Dr. Ivan Van Sertima.