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

Written by one of the great historians of our generation, this unusal volume describes the birth and growth of one of the most important basic ideas of our civilization: progress, or the concept that men are advancing in a definite and desirable direction.Dr. Bury does not attempt to evaluate the "truth" of the idea of progress. He does, however, demonstrate how important this idea has been as a motivating force in modern history. Unabridged reissue.