Why 1870? Is It the Right Time to Start?

The world is so much richer than it was 150 years ago that past generations might look at society today and declare it a utopia.  But how did we get here, and are we really living in utopia? Economist Brad DeLong joins the podcast to discuss his new book, Slouching Towards Utopia.  We discuss the key factors that allowed economic growth to explode around 1870, why Brad builds a grand narrative around the 'long 20th century', and why economic growth is the most important lens for understanding human history in the last 150 years.

Recommended reading:

Slouching Towards Utopia - https://www.basicbooks.com/titles/j-bradford-delong/slouching-towards-utopia/9780465019595/

What We Owe the Future - https://www.basicbooks.com/titles/william-macaskill/what-we-owe-the-future/9781541618633/

The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-neoliberal-order-9780197519646?cc=us&lang=en&

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