Originally published in 1965 and written by a noted economist and leader in the field of conflict resolution, this book traces the forces which have brought the 20th century ‘post-civilisation’ into being: the ever-increasing power of science and the scientific attitude, the global communication network, the high efficiency of industrial societies.New conditions pointed to a life of ease but also enormous problems.The book discusses how though our technical resources have become immense, social and psychological conflicts remain.The author’s training in psychology and economics combines with a deep sense of history to create a book which is as relevant now as when it was first published.