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Long 20th Century Defined by Growth
- The "long 20th century" from 1870 to 2010 is better defined by economic growth than by political or military events.
- Economic growth is the key lens for understanding modern human history and prosperity.
Break from Malthusian Constraints
- Since 1870, technological progress boosted human productivity enough to support economic growth for everyone.
- This broke the old Malthusian constraints where population growth outpaced technology.
1870 Marked a Growth Explosion
- Technological growth quadrupled in rate after 1870, enabling a large enough economic pie to support society.
- Before that, technological growth barely kept pace with population increase, limiting prosperity.