It is obvious to many people—on all sides of the political spectrum—that we have left one era and entered another. Our politics feels different—and so does our economy.
Some suggest that the change we are feeling is simply the end of the postwar 20th century—as seen in the decline of multilateral liberalism, a retrenchment of globalism, and the resumption of major international conflicts. Others, looking at our renewed economic dynamism, point out that the long period of relative technological stagnation, commonly dated to the early 1970s, is over, as evidenced by dramatic improvements in artificial intelligence and also in biomedicine. Still others, like my colleague Niall Ferguson, suggest that the right way to think about this new era is according to the contest of global powers: as a new Cold War, where China replaces the Soviet Union as our key adversary.
My nerdier friends—those obsessed with AI and crypto and longevity—turn to science fiction. And Neal Stephenson and Isaac Asimov are indeed useful when it comes to understanding current trends and where we are headed next, whether it be educating children with AI tutors or trying to figure out how to regulate the robots.
But I would like to suggest looking in another direction: backward.
My unlikely nomination for the most relevant time and place today is 17th-century England.
