The Rational Optimist

How Prosperity Evolves

By: Matt Ridley

Business & Economics

for two hundred years the pessimists have dominated public discourse, insisting that things will soon be getting much worse. but in fact, life is getting better—and at an accelerating rate. food availability, income, and life span are up; disease, child mortality, and violence are down all across the globe. africa is following asia out of poverty; the internet, the mobile phone, and container...