Civilization the West/the Rest

Civilization: West & The Rest is an extremely sophisticated documentary for those with a love for history... and maybe some controversy. Make no mistake, you may find yourself not agreeing with Ferguson. I suggest you read his book (of the same name) for an even more comprehensive understanding of his views. However, not agreeing with someone's take on any given issue should not be grounds for condemnation or disregard. I, personally, find little to disagree with as far as his views on the rise of the West. In very simple terms, this is my take on Civilization: West & The Rest-- Ferguson presents a non-apologist's account on the rise of Western economic, political and cultural hegemony. He lays out a realist groundwork for why the West succeeded and why the 'Rest' failed. That said, by no means does Ferguson disregard the negative aspects of Western civilization (colonialism, slavery, genocide, rampant consumerism etc.) However, unlike the leftist literature/media that plagues academic discourse like a widespread disease, Ferguson gives ample credence as to WHY the 'Rest' failed. He does not wallow in self-loathing and pitiful guilt for the West's meteoric rise into economic, political and cultural splendor. On the contrary, he cites specific reasons as to why China, the Ottoman Empire and others failed to capitalize on opportunities to advance. Likewise, he provides us six "Killer Applications" the West implemented to bring themselves out of the dark ages and into the modern world. Niall Ferguson is as sharp as they come. The documentary itself is beautiful to watch and listen to. The photography is second to none and Ferguson's commentary is accessible, funny and captivating. He holds no punches when criticizing Keynesian economics, state-run monopolies, dictators and the failures of Socialism. Is he a crazy right-wing historian? Not by a long shot. Is he a left-leaning apologist who resents Western civilization? Absolutely not. Ferguson is a one-of-a-kind intellectual with a robust and honest dedication to his craft. I give 5 stars and recommend this documentary and his book for anyone who enjoys history.

Other reviewers have pointed out flaws in the material, commented on the jumpiness of the production, explained why Ferguson is totally wrong in some areas, and complained about what was left out. Surely he cannot be faulted for everything. No one can ever be completely right, and rarely is any lecturer totally wrong. But I was enthralled, as much as I had been with James Burke's Connections. There were very big ideas, colorful details, and days later I am still thinking about the program and the information it presented.

Regarding Protestant work ethic, I would highly recommend Simon Schama's An Embarrassment of Riches, which focuses on the success of the Netherlands, the societal guilt in admitting to so much wealth, and how they tried to perfect themselves as a nation.

Anyone who finds this boring doesn't appreciate history. Anyone who finds this too western-centric is simply missing the point and misreading history as well as Ferguson. Of course, trying to make a broad sweep of history in six 45-minute videos will leave out points some will find critical, and make some generalizations others will find offensive, but the genius of Ferguson's grasp of history and twenty-first century social media is evident across the six segments. Yes, there are connections back to James Burke's wonderful "Connections" series from thirty years ago, and fellow Harvard economic historian David Landes went into much more detail in his "Wealth and poverty of nations" treatise fifteen years ago, but for the student or just intellectually curious, this series is hard to beat. Yes, the "six killer apps" theme may offend some as a bit too cute, too current, too much of an appeal to the MTV generation, but Ferguson knows his stuff and knows his audience.

Having taught an honors section of Western Civilization thirty years ago, I would have found this series invaluable for laying out the basic premise of the development of modern western civilization. It is not a replacement for serious reading or coursework, but it is an engaging introduction and thesis to frame the key issues facing the west and "the rest" today.