The Journey of Humanity

largely before the emergence of Homo sapiens.

 

Why have the capabilities of the human brain expanded so significantly over the course of the history of the human species? At first glance, the answer might appear self-evident: having an advanced brain has clearly allowed us to achieve levels of security and prosperity that no other species on Earth has managed to attain. Yet the reality is considerably more intricate. If a brain resembling the human one is indeed so unambiguously beneficial for survival, why has no other species developed a similar brain over billions of years of evolution?

 

Consider this distinction for a moment. Eyes, for example, developed independently along several evolutionary tracks. They evolved among vertebrates (amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles), cephalopods (including cuttlefish, octopuses and squid), as well as in a simpler form - ocelli - in invertebrates such as bees, spiders, jellyfish and sea stars. The distant ancestor of all these species, which lived more than 500 million years ago, seems to have had only basic light receptors, capable of distinguishing light from dark.Nevertheless, since accurate vision has provided a distinct survival advantage in different environments, complex eyes evolved independently in some of these different groups, uniquely adapted in each case to the individual species' habitat.

 

This phenomenon, whereby similar traits evolved independently in different species rather than emerging from an existing trait in a common ancestor, is known as convergent evolution. There are numerous other examples, such as the development of wings among insects, birds and bats, and the comparable body shape that evolved in fish (shark) and marine mammals (dolphins) to suit life underwater. Evidently, various species have acquired similar beneficial traits by independent means - but not brains capable of crafting literary, philosophical and artistic masterpieces, or inventing the plough, the

overview of cultural, technological, and educational forces that let countries break out of the poverty trap and become wealthy. Its breadth and ambition are reminiscent of Diamond s Guns, Germs, and Steeland Harari s Sapiens. Financial Times
 
[A] deeply rewarding and fascinating exploration. The Spectator
 
I...[was] taken aback by his imagination and verve... great sections of Galor's book are to be applauded... his optimism about humanity shines through  Observer

"An elegantly written and accessible book." Irish Times

Ambitious bid to explain society s economic development... impressive and insightful. The Guardian
 
It explores how ancient factors like geography, culture and diversity impact today s wealth inequality... Uses entertaining narratives to explain how this works. Forbes
 
Just like the theories that promise to tie together all of physics or any other science, Galor s work aims to make the world s economic trajectory seem logical, even inevitable. American Banker
 
Big ideas worth attention. Kirkus

In lucid, accessible prose, Galor ingeniously traces obscure influences over centuries . This engrossing history reveals that subtle causes can have astounding effects. Publishers Weekly
 
In The Journey Of Humanity, Oded Galor argues that climate policy should not be restricted to cutting carbon but should also involve pushing hard for gender equality, access to education and the availability of contraceptives, to drive forward the decline in fertility. India will do well to heed that advice. The New Indian Express
 
 
Writers and Scholars:

Astounding in scope and insight, The Journey of Humanity provides a captivating and revelatory account of the deepest currents that have shaped human history and the keys to the betterment of our species. Nouriel Roubini, Professor Emeritus, NYU, and author of Crisis Economics: A Crash Course in the Future of Finance

A masterful sweep through the human odyssey, from the origin of our species to the founding of civilizations and the major transitions towards the making of the modern world. Galor answers the ultimate mystery: What historical currents account for the staggering inequality in the wealth of nations today? Exquisite, eloquent and effortlessly erudite if you liked Sapiens, you'll love this. Lewis Dartnell, author of Origins: How the Earth Shaped Human History

A completely brilliant and utterly original account of humanity's transit from crude beginnings to a deeply divided planet. A vastly readable insight into why our world is as it is. A book for our epoch. Jon Snow, former anchor of Channel 4 News (UK)

A wonderfully clear-sighted perspective on progress, past and future, which is essential to tackling today s big challenges potentially catastrophic climate change and inequality. Diane Coyle, author of Cogs and Monsters

This deeply argued book brilliantly weaves the threads of global economic history technology, demography, culture, trade, colonialism, geography, institutions to deconstruct the rich tapestry that is the modern world. A tour de force! Dani Rodrik, Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy at Harvard s John F. Kennedy School of Government and author of Straight Talk on Trade

A magisterial account of the evolution of human civilization from its prehistoric origins to the present day. The Journey of Humanity is beautifully written, in elegant and accessible prose. It s a page-turner, a suspense-filled thriller full of surprises, mind-bending puzzles and profound insights! Glenn C. Loury, Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences, Brown University, and author of The Anatomy of Racial Inequality

Not only a succinct, unified theory of economic growth since modern humans evolved, but also an engaging and optimistic answer to anyone who thinks that poverty and inequality will always be with us." Ian Morris, Stanford University s Jean and Rebecca Willard Professor in Classics and author of The Measure of Civilization

Incredibly wide-ranging and detailed historical and even anthropological examination of the myriad factors that have brought success and failure to nations.... Lively and learned. Tim Hazledine
 
I am in awe of Oded Galor s attempts to explain inequality today as a consequence of such profound forces. A remarkable contribution to our understanding of this mammoth dilemma. Jim O'Neill, author of The Growth Map


Praise for Oded Galor and his Unified Growth Theory

Galor s project is breathtakingly ambitious. He proposes a fairly simple, intensely human-capital-oriented model that will accommodate the millennia of Malthusian near-stagnation, the Industrial Revolution and its aftermath of rapid growth, the accompanying demographic transition, and the emergence of modern human-capital-based growth. And the model is supposed to generate endogenously the transitions from one era to the next. The resulting book is a powerful mixture of fact, theory, and interpretation. Robert Solow, Nobel Laureate in Economics   

Big Science at its best. It grapples with some of the broadest questions in social science, integrating state-of-the-art economic theory with a rich exploration of a wide range of empirical evidence. Galor's erudition and creativity are remarkable, and the ideas embodied in this book will have a lasting effect on economics. Steven N. Durlauf, Steans Professor in Educational Policy, University of Chicago, and editor, Journal of Economic Literature