Table of Contents

1: Preview
2: The Distant Past
3: Yesterday
4: Today
5: Tomorrow
Notes
Index

About the Author

Robert Heilbroner is Norman Thomas Professor (Emeritus) at the New School for Social Research. His many books include The Worldly Philosophers, An Inquiry into the Human Prospect, and Twenty-First Century Capitalism. He was recently selected the first Scholar of the Year by the New York Council of the Humanities.

Reviews

"Mr. Heilbroner's thesis is positively charming in its oversimplification of complex history....Yet if Mr. Heilbroner's thesis seems simple...his substantiation of it is a wonder of elegant synthesis....[A] stimulating little book."--The New York Times
"A worldly philosopher's provocative broad-brush perspectives on what the morrow could bring."--Kirkus Reviews
"For those of us groping for ways to evaluate what's happening in our brave new world, [Heilbroner] makes a worthwhile contribution."--Business Week
"Mr. Heilbroner's thesis is positively charming in its oversimplification of complex history....Yet if Mr. Heilbroner's thesis seems simple..., his substantiation of it is a wonder of elegant synthesis....It is not comfort that one takes away from this stimulating little book. It is instead a sense that one has watched a series of stop-action photographs of human history and that one has seen nothing less than the span of civilization from its dawning to
whatever form of twilight awaits."--The New York Times
"A thoughtful analysis, gracefully written."--Library Journal
"Robert Heilbroner is...a writer who combines an essentially literary intellectual style with a broad knowledge of and respect for economics....A graceful and learned essay."--The Washington Post Book World
"An elegant and slim volume that deals with nothing less than the expectations about the future held by pre-capitalist societies, by the world of the capitalist transformation (from 1700 to the recent past) and by the world today."--The New York Times Book Review
"The visions that human societies have held about what the future will look like is the rich and complex subject that economist Robert Heilbroner has masterfully limned in his new book."--The Boston Globe
"For those of us groping for ways to evaluate what's happening in our brave new world, [Heilbroner] makes a worthwhile contribution."--Business Week
"A worldly philosopher's provocative broadbrush perspectives on what the morrow could bring."--Kirkus Reviews
"A useful contrast between Yesterday and Today."--Future Survey
"Mr. Heilbroner's thesis is positively charming in its oversimplification of complex history....Yet if Mr. Heilbroner's thesis seems simple..., his substantiation of it is a wonder of elegant synthesis....It is not comfort that one takes away from this stimulating little book. It is instead a sense that one has watched a series of stop-action photographs of human history and that one has seen nothing less than the span of civilization from its dawning to
whatever form of twilight awaits."--The New York Times
"A thoughtful analysis, gracefully written."--Library Journal
"Robert Heilbroner is...a writer who combines an essentially literary intellectual style with a broad knowledge of and respect for economics....A graceful and learned essay."--The Washington Post Book World
"An elegant and slim volume that deals with nothing less than the expectations about the future held by pre-capitalist societies, by the world of the capitalist transformation (from 1700 to the recent past) and by the world today."--The New York Times Book Review
"The visions that human societies have held about what the future will look like is the rich and complex subject that economist Robert Heilbroner has masterfully limned in his new book."--The Boston Globe
"For those of us groping for ways to evaluate what's happening in our brave new world, [Heilbroner] makes a worthwhile contribution."--Business Week
"A worldly philosopher's provocative broadbrush perspectives on what the morrow could bring."--Kirkus Reviews
"Heilbroner takes us through the history of humanity, as seen from the perspective of the West, at an exhilarating pace....Punchy and thought-provoking."--Nature

"Mr. Heilbroner's thesis is positively charming in its oversimplification of complex history....Yet if Mr. Heilbroner's thesis seems simple...his substantiation of it is a wonder of elegant synthesis....[A] stimulating little book."--The New York Times "A worldly philosopher's provocative broad-brush perspectives on what the morrow could bring."--Kirkus Reviews "For those of us groping for ways to evaluate what's happening in our brave new world, [Heilbroner] makes a worthwhile contribution."--Business Week "Mr. Heilbroner's thesis is positively charming in its oversimplification of complex history....Yet if Mr. Heilbroner's thesis seems simple..., his substantiation of it is a wonder of elegant synthesis....It is not comfort that one takes away from this stimulating little book. It is instead a sense that one has watched a series of stop-action photographs of human history and that one has seen nothing less than the span of civilization from its dawning to whatever form of twilight awaits."--The New York Times "A thoughtful analysis, gracefully written."--Library Journal "Robert Heilbroner is...a writer who combines an essentially literary intellectual style with a broad knowledge of and respect for economics....A graceful and learned essay."--The Washington Post Book World "An elegant and slim volume that deals with nothing less than the expectations about the future held by pre-capitalist societies, by the world of the capitalist transformation (from 1700 to the recent past) and by the world today."--The New York Times Book Review "The visions that human societies have held about what the future will look like is the rich and complex subject that economist Robert Heilbroner has masterfully limned in his new book."--The Boston Globe "For those of us groping for ways to evaluate what's happening in our brave new world, [Heilbroner] makes a worthwhile contribution."--Business Week "A worldly philosopher's provocative broadbrush perspectives on what the morrow could bring."--Kirkus Reviews "A useful contrast between Yesterday and Today."--Future Survey "Mr. Heilbroner's thesis is positively charming in its oversimplification of complex history....Yet if Mr. Heilbroner's thesis seems simple..., his substantiation of it is a wonder of elegant synthesis....It is not comfort that one takes away from this stimulating little book. It is instead a sense that one has watched a series of stop-action photographs of human history and that one has seen nothing less than the span of civilization from its dawning to whatever form of twilight awaits."--The New York Times "A thoughtful analysis, gracefully written."--Library Journal "Robert Heilbroner is...a writer who combines an essentially literary intellectual style with a broad knowledge of and respect for economics....A graceful and learned essay."--The Washington Post Book World "An elegant and slim volume that deals with nothing less than the expectations about the future held by pre-capitalist societies, by the world of the capitalist transformation (from 1700 to the recent past) and by the world today."--The New York Times Book Review "The visions that human societies have held about what the future will look like is the rich and complex subject that economist Robert Heilbroner has masterfully limned in his new book."--The Boston Globe "For those of us groping for ways to evaluate what's happening in our brave new world, [Heilbroner] makes a worthwhile contribution."--Business Week "A worldly philosopher's provocative broadbrush perspectives on what the morrow could bring."--Kirkus Reviews "Heilbroner takes us through the history of humanity, as seen from the perspective of the West, at an exhilarating pace....Punchy and thought-provoking."--Nature

YA‘Heilbroner ruminates on the economic implications of four time periods. Much like the classic Abbott and Costello routine, ``Who's on First,'' verbally covering four bases takes precision, timing, and delivery. The author integrates civilized history, quotes from other economists and philosophers, and laser-sharp hindsight to ultimately bring home a vision for ``tomorrow.'' However, his professional delivery and vocabulary make Visions of the Future best suited for gifted YAs.‘Karen Sokol, Fairfax County Schools, VA

In this short, stimulating essay, eminent economist Heilbroner argues that humanity's expectation of a future measurably better than the past became widespread only with the rise of capitalism and its handmaiden, technology, beginning around 1700. By contrast, from the emergence of Homo sapiens to the dawn of the modern European nation-state, he contends societies preached acceptance of the status quo. Since roughly 1950, in Heilbroner's estimate, optimism about the future has given way to pessimistic resignation, partly because of decline in real incomes and growing political unrest. Predicting that capitalism will be the principal socioeconomic system in the 21st century, he ponders ways to prevent structurally or technologically induced unemployment. Given the requisite political will, he maintains, the U.S. could undertake a massive government-led program to create jobs and rebuild slums, while coordinated international efforts could stabilize population growth and eradicate poverty worldwide. Sadly, he surmises, the requisite political will is missing. (Jan.)