For two hundred years, pessimists have dominated public discourse, insisting that things are about to get much worse. In reality, however, life is improving – and indeed at an accelerating rate.

Access to food, income, and life expectancy are on the rise; diseases, child mortality, and violence are decreasing worldwide. Africa is emerging from poverty, following Asia; the Internet, mobile phones, and container shipping are making people's lives richer than ever before.

Our collective brain (the interconnected skills and knowledge of humanity) has provided us with tremendous potential, and seems to hold unimaginable developments for the future.

In this bold and heartening exploration of how human civilization is evolving in a positive direction through exchange and specialization, renowned author Matt Ridley does not merely describe how things are improving. He also explains why.

A witty, invigorating, and enlightening work that spans the entire breadth of human history – from the Stone Age to the Internet – Rational Optimism will change your perception of the world for the better.