Civilization and Beyond: Learning from History

"Civilization and Beyond: Learning from History" by Scott Nearing is a mid-20th century examination of how civilizations grow and fall, and what we can learn to improve our lives today. The book looks at the history of several societies, especially Western civilization, and suggests we need new ways of organizing ourselves because old systems are failing. Nearing starts by explaining what civilization is and why it matters, looking at it from different perspectives. He believes we should study civilization scientifically, looking at what people do and how it affects things. This sets up a bigger discussion about the normal ups and downs of civilizations, how they all connect, and why understanding the past can help us deal with problems now.