Populist rage, ideological fracture, economic and technological shocks, war, and an international system studded with catastrophic risk—the early decades of the twenty-first century may be the most revolutionary period in modern history. However, humans have lived and thrived through more than one great realignment. This major work investigates the eras and movements that have shaken norms while shaping the modern world.

Three significant periods hold profound lessons for today. First, the seventeenth-century Netherlands experienced a fascinating series of transformations that made it the richest in the world and created modern politics. Next, the French Revolution was an era that devoured its ideological children, leaving a bloody legacy that haunts us today. Finally, the Industrial Revolution catapulted Great Britain and the US to global dominance, shaping the modern world.

Alongside these historical events, the work examines four present-day revolutions: globalization, technology, identity, and geopolitics. While globalization and technology have brought benefits, they have also produced profound disruptions and pervasive anxiety. Increasingly, identity has become the battlefield for polarized politics in the twenty-first century.

As we navigate a geopolitical revolution, the US is no longer the dominant power. This book illustrates that despite concerns about a dark future, pessimism may be premature. With wise actions, the liberal international order can be revived, and populism can be relegated to history.

Fareed Zakaria combines intellectual range, deep historical insight, and uncanny prescience to reframe and illuminate our turbulent present. His compelling arguments make this book essential reading in our age of revolutions.