The Idea of Progress: An Inquiry into Its Origin and Growth

This study offers a concise yet deep look at how the notion of progress emerged and spread through Western thought. Beginning with the medieval focus on an after‑life, it follows the shift toward a belief that human happiness can be built here and now for future generations. The author shows how the term became a yardstick by which societies judge their own civilization, linking it to ideas of liberty, democracy and even early socialism. By mapping these changes, the book reveals the cultural forces that turned progress into a dominant creed.

The narrative also examines the darker side of the doctrine, noting how war, imperial ambition and revolutionary terror have been justified in its name. It explores the expanding moral horizon that now includes duties to unborn generations, a principle the author traces back to ancient ethical teachings. While the work refrains from offering a final verdict, it equips listeners with a historical framework to question whether progress remains a useful guide today. The tone remains scholarly yet accessible, inviting reflection on a concept that still shapes our expectations of the future.