Incorporating a stunning array of ideas, insights, and interpretations, this remarkable study focuses on 2,000 years of socioeconomic trends—from ancient Greece and Rome through 20th-century Europe. With an attractive and accessible style, important factors and moments of development are highlighted—including the role of the church beyond its spiritual contributions, the introduction of money, the revival of Roman law, the birth of capitalism during the medieval period, and the Industrial Revolution. Tracing the development and decline of the application of Christian morality to economics, this thorough examination offers a candid historical assessment of the pitfalls of modern society and culture. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.