History for tomorrow

In History for Tomorrow , one of today's foremost social philosophers identifies ten global challenges facing humanity in the 21st century and explores how unexpected lessons from human history can help us hope to overcome them.

Supercyclones, severe water shortages, rampant viruses, energy shortages, cyberattacks. Humanity is heading toward an era of permanent crisis. How can we navigate it all? Politicians and the press are stuck in the present, too busy responding to the latest headlines and social media posts to see beyond the here and now. Yet technology gurus assure us that solutions are just around the corner, that we should pin our hopes for salvation on future technological innovations. But would we find such hope by looking backward, rather than forward? What can the history of slave revolts teach us about the power of rebellions to confront the climate crisis? How can understanding the origins of capitalism inspire ideas for harnessing artificial intelligence? What could we learn from 18th-century Japan to create regenerative economies today, or from Georgian-era London coffeehouses to harness social media?

Thus, in each of the ten chapters of History for Tomorrow , Roman Krznaric unearths curious and inspiring facts from the last thousand years of world history that could help us overcome ten of the most pressing challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. From reducing social inequality and mitigating the risks of genetic engineering, to reviving our faith in democracy and avoiding ecological collapse, History for Tomorrow shows how history is not simply a means of understanding the past, but a way of reimagining our relationship with the future.

This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how history could prove to be the most vital tool for surviving and thriving in the turbulent decades ahead, a compass that can help us find our way amidst the chaos.

“Full of insights and reflections, this is an inspired, important, and lucid analysis of how knowledge of the past can help us better prepare for the future.” - Peter Frankopan, author of The Heart of the World