At other times it operates with furious energy, turning things
upside-down overnight. Such change, whether it takes place in nature or
in society is revolutionary.
Rome's demise as a world power was followed by centuries of
quietude--The Dark Ages. These in turn yielded to a period of
revolutionary change that found its early expression in the voyages and
discoveries that spanned the earth after 1450. Three centuries later the
rebirth of western humanity expressed itself in the industrial
revolution that flooded across the planet and became an early stage of
the planet-wide sweep that has played havoc with nature, turned the old
society upside down and presently promises to produce a new society for
a reborn human race.
World-wide revolution is the predominant force in the twentieth century.
Its existence and some of its consequences have become an all-embracing
theme for thought and discussion. They have put into the hands of
present-day humanity the ideas, experiments and experiences needed for
transforming nature, rebuilding social institutions and practices and
opening the way for mankind to move confidently into a future replete
with intriguing and exciting possibilities.
An excellent summary of this entire field is appearing in a six volume
_History of Mankind_, sponsored by the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Volume six of the history
is titled _The Twentieth Century_.
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