This book describes how our modern world came into being as a consequence of a series of accidental events unfolding in Europe from the 5th century onwards. The events that led to Europe’s success, such as a competitive state system, the rise of modern science and modern law, individualism, and the capture of the Americas, were coincidental. They were unsought, unintended, and unexpected. The book discredits the Eurocentric idea that our advanced civilization is a consequence of cultural values inherent to Europeans, such as rational thinking, frugality, hard work, and honesty. Modern industrial society, which arrived in the span of a century after 50 agricultural centuries, is a fluke of history. It came as an explosion of technological breakthroughs in the 19th century, turning the world European when its technology and economic, political, and cultural consequences quickly spread all over the planet. This book argues that our modern, advanced civilization is unique and is unlikely to be found anywhere else in the universe.
