Niall Ferguson: "Civilization: The West and the Rest" - Liveblog & webcast

EXPERTS
  • Niall Ferguson
    Author and Professor of History at Harvard University

October 18, 2011

Replay the liveblog below for a recap of a World Bank event featuring Niall Ferguson as he argued that the rise to global predominance of Western civilization is the single most important historical phenomenon of the past five hundred years.

The event was moderated by Shahrokh Fardoust, Director of Operations and Strategy in the Development Economics Vice Presidency at the World Bank.



 Liveblog: Niall Ferguson "Civilization: The West and the Rest"(11/18/2011) 
11:56
World Bank Live: 
Hi everybody and welcome to the liveblog from today's World Bank event featuring a conversation with Author and Professor of History at Harvard University, Niall Ferguson.
Friday November 18, 2011 11:56 World Bank Live
11:57
World Bank Live: 
The event will begin in about 30 minutes. Stay tuned as we liveblog here or join us on Twitter by posting your own comments with hashtag #WBLive.
Friday November 18, 2011 11:57 World Bank Live
12:30
Donna Barne: 
It looks like the event is running a little behind. Stay tuned.
Friday November 18, 2011 12:30 Donna Barne
12:30
Twitter
WorldBank: 
RIGHT NOW: Niall Ferguson @nfergus discusses "Civilization: The West and the Rest". #wblive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:30 WorldBank
12:31
Twitter
AdeySO: 
RT @WorldBank: RIGHT NOW: Niall Ferguson @nfergus discusses "Civilization: The West and the Rest". #wblive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:31 AdeySO
12:31
Twitter
frankvanhoorn: 
RT @WorldBank: RIGHT NOW: Niall Ferguson @nfergus discusses "Civilization: The West and the Rest". #wblive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:31 frankvanhoorn
12:34
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
Almost ready for the #WBLive event with Niall Ferguson @nfergus. Join with hashtag #WBLive and see liveblog: http://bit.ly/thLZE9 [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:34 WorldBankLive
12:38
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
Naz from the #WBLive team just said Niall Ferguson @nfergus is walking in and we'll be starting in about 2 minutes [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:38 WorldBankLive
12:40
Donna Barne: 
Event is starting now. Shahrokh Fardoust is introducing Niall
Friday November 18, 2011 12:40 Donna Barne
12:41
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
Shahrokh Fardoust from @WorldBank just introduced Niall Ferguson and encourages all to read (and buy!) his new book [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:41 WorldBankLive
12:41
Donna Barne: 
He's recommending IMF staff read Niall's new book, Civilization, the West and the Rest
Friday November 18, 2011 12:41 Donna Barne
12:42
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
Here is a link to http://Amazon.com for Niall Ferguson's @nfergus new book: http://www.amazon.com/Civilization-West-Rest-Niall-Ferguson/dp/1594203059/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305504428&sr=1-1 [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:42 WorldBankLive
12:42
Donna Barne: 
Niall is describing his "6 killer apps" -- a way of teaching his teenage children what set the West apart from the rest
Friday November 18, 2011 12:42 Donna Barne
12:43
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
#WBLive Here is a link to http://Amazon.com for Niall Ferguson's @nfergus new book: http://www.amazon.com/Civilization-West-Rest-Niall-Ferguson/dp/1594203059/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305504428&sr=1-1 [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:43 WorldBankLive
12:43
Donna Barne: 
6 apps -1 competition 2/ scientific revolution 3) property rights 4) medicine 5) consumer society 6) work ethic
Friday November 18, 2011 12:43 Donna Barne
12:45
Donna Barne: 
The book is about these 6 things. They show what it was about the rule of law in Western society that made it different from other socieites.
Friday November 18, 2011 12:45 Donna Barne
12:45
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
@NFergus's 6 apps: 1) competition 2) scientific revolution 3) property rights 4) medicine 5) consumer society 6) work ethic #WBLive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:45 WorldBankLive
12:45
Donna Barne: 
Democracy isn't the killer app -- it's the rule of law.
Friday November 18, 2011 12:45 Donna Barne
12:46
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
@NFergus says he finds @WorldBankData very helpful. #WBLive (see http://data.worldbank.org) [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:46 WorldBankLive
12:46
Donna Barne: 
But Niall says the West no longer has monopoly on these apps
Friday November 18, 2011 12:46 Donna Barne
12:47
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
Have a question for @NFergus? Post it with #WBLive or at the liveblog: http://live.worldbank.org/liveblog-niall-ferguson-civilization-west-and-rest [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:47 WorldBankLive
12:47
Donna Barne: 
He says the West's dominence is coming to an end because they were always open source -- they could be copied. Others are downloading the apps, beginning with Japan.
Friday November 18, 2011 12:47 Donna Barne
12:48
Donna Barne: 
It's great news because it shows that any society can benefit from the institutions that benefited the West.
Friday November 18, 2011 12:48 Donna Barne
12:49
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
However, @NFergus says the West no longer has monopoly on these apps (http://twitter.com/#!/WorldBankLive/status/137587225436225536) #WBLive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:49 WorldBankLive
12:49
Donna Barne: 
What is happening in our lifetimes is so dramatic it's almost beyond our comprehension
Friday November 18, 2011 12:49 Donna Barne
12:51
Donna Barne: 
Niall says you don't need extra apps -- you need the institutions he's talking about, and you need them to work well.
Friday November 18, 2011 12:51 Donna Barne
12:51
Donna Barne: 
The only issue in India is whether the software is running too slowly.
Friday November 18, 2011 12:51 Donna Barne
12:54
Donna Barne: 
Some countries don't want all 6 killer apps. It's not completely clear they need all of them.
Friday November 18, 2011 12:54 Donna Barne
12:56
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
@NFergus says "Some countries don't want all 6 killer apps. It's not completely clear they need all of them." #WBLive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 12:56 WorldBankLive
12:56
Donna Barne: 
We will see a shift in the way the World Bank and IMF operate. They will have to adapt.
Friday November 18, 2011 12:56 Donna Barne
12:57
Donna Barne: 
We are in an extraordinary situation. This is a huge shift we're living through, and it's happening very fast. There is a powerful fiscal imperative to reduce expenditure on defense in the United States.
Friday November 18, 2011 12:57 Donna Barne
1:01
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
@NFergus says "I think we will see the dollar losing its centrality to the international monetary system" #WBLive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 1:01 WorldBankLive
1:01
Donna Barne: 
There is a crisis in monetary theory unfolding before our eyes.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:01 Donna Barne
1:03
Twitter
WorldBank: 
RT @WorldBankLive: @NFergus: "I think we'll see the dollar losing its centrality to the international monetary system" #WBLive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 1:03 WorldBank
1:03
Donna Barne: 
We're moving toward a world where the Chinese currency plays a much bigger role.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:03 Donna Barne
1:04
Donna Barne: 
A power drill is interrupting the talk...prompting a light moment.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:04 Donna Barne
1:05
Donna Barne: 
"I bet that power drill was made in China."
Friday November 18, 2011 1:05 Donna Barne
1:06
Twitter
RSE_OVERS: 
"@WorldBankLive: @NFergus: "I think we'll see the dollar losing its centrality to the international monetary system" #WBLive" [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 1:06 RSE_OVERS
1:07
Donna Barne: 
The book is about a lot of the things that can happen when large financial crises strike
Friday November 18, 2011 1:07 Donna Barne
1:07
Donna Barne: 
We're witnessing a depression, but not a great one.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:07 Donna Barne
1:08
Donna Barne: 
We learnt the lessons of the Great Depression. A major financial shock has not caused globalization to break down.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:08 Donna Barne
1:10
Donna Barne: 
Adam Smith had an important point in Wealth of Nations: China has reached a level of opulance consistent with its institutions. We may be moving in that direction.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:10 Donna Barne
1:11
Donna Barne: 
Question: Has the US lost its edge?
Friday November 18, 2011 1:11 Donna Barne
1:12
Donna Barne: 
We don't have all the information we need to answer the question. There is a great deal of innovation at Stanford. That America didn't die with Steve Jobs
Friday November 18, 2011 1:12 Donna Barne
1:12
Donna Barne: 
But there is a highly dysfunctional political system.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:12 Donna Barne
1:12
Expand
Friday November 18, 2011 1:12 
1:13
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
@NFergus says he uses the @WorldBank World Development Indicators all the time #WBLive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 1:13 WorldBankLive
1:14
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
See @NFergus's TED talk referencing @WorldBank #opendata http://www.ted.com/talks/niall_ferguson_the_6_killer_apps_of_prosperity.html #WBLive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 1:14 WorldBankLive
1:15
Donna Barne: 
He is talking about getting a complete statistical view of the world. World Economic Forum raw data reveal the United States isn't faring well on most indicators
Friday November 18, 2011 1:15 Donna Barne
1:16
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
@NFergus says "There is a great deal of innovation at Stanford. America didn't die with Steve Jobs" [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 1:16 WorldBankLive
1:16
Donna Barne: 
Construction noise is interrupting the talk again.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:16 Donna Barne
1:16
Donna Barne: 
The audience now has a chance to ask questions.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:16 Donna Barne
1:17
Donna Barne: 
What killer apps did you reject?
Friday November 18, 2011 1:17 Donna Barne
1:19
Donna Barne: 
Niall's response: Imperialism does not seem to be a factor in the "great divergence" between the West and the rest of the world.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:19 Donna Barne
1:19
Donna Barne: 
He also doesn't place a lot of important on climate and geography than insitutions.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:19 Donna Barne
1:20
Donna Barne: 
Institutions determine whether a country fares well or badly.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:20 Donna Barne
1:21
Donna Barne: 
question: How important is practice re following the rules of institutions?
Friday November 18, 2011 1:21 Donna Barne
1:22
Twitter
WorldBank: 
RT @WorldBankLive See @NFergus's TED talk referencing @WorldBank #opendata http://www.ted.com/talks/niall_ferguson_the_6_killer_apps_of_prosperity.html #WBLive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 1:22 WorldBank
1:22
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
@NFergus says a "killer app" is a complex of ideas and institutions. #WBLive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 1:22 WorldBankLive
1:23
Donna Barne: 
Answer: Many factors have no bearing but literacy is of enormous importance.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:23 Donna Barne
1:25
Donna Barne: 
The "word" ethic is one of the big game-changers, wherever it happens.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:25 Donna Barne
1:26
Donna Barne: 
Question: What will a shift in global power do the US strategy in the Middle East and elsewhere?
Friday November 18, 2011 1:26 Donna Barne
1:27
Donna Barne: 
Answer: We're going to see a swift reduction in defense capability.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:27 Donna Barne
1:28
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Question from the audience
Friday November 18, 2011 1:28 
1:28
Donna Barne: 
Niall says he worries about this, because there is a risk that the effort to build institutions in Iraq will be abandoned.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:28 Donna Barne
1:30
Donna Barne: 
Nobody wants to admit the Arab Spring is related to US efforts in Iraq. The consequence of running away from problems in the Middle East could be a spike in violence.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:30 Donna Barne
1:31
Donna Barne: 
This is not the time to say, Middle East...boring.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:31 Donna Barne
1:31
Donna Barne: 
Question: Is it time to go back to the Gold Standard?
Friday November 18, 2011 1:31 Donna Barne
1:32
Donna Barne: 
Answer: It's not surprising more investors have decided to start hedging with gold. It has come back in a kind of private capacity .. major investors want a gold standard in their portfolio.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:32 Donna Barne
1:34
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
@NFergus says he thinks the "private #gold standard" is still very much alive today #WBLive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 1:34 WorldBankLive
1:34
Donna Barne: 
The event is wrapping up now.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:34 Donna Barne
1:34
Expand
Niall responds to this tough question
Friday November 18, 2011 1:34 
1:35
Twitter
WorldBank: 
RT @WorldBankLive: @NFergus thinks the "private #gold standard" is still very much alive today #WBLive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 1:35 WorldBank
1:35
Donna Barne: 
Thanks for joining us.
Friday November 18, 2011 1:35 Donna Barne
1:35
Expand
Thanks for joining us. See you next time - Livebloggers Donna and Livia
Friday November 18, 2011 1:35 
1:37
Twitter
WorldBankLive: 
@NFergus doing book signing now. thanks for joining us and see you next time on #WBLive [via Twitter]
Friday November 18, 2011 1:37 WorldBankLive
1:37
World Bank Live: 
Thanks everybody, see you next time. Sign up for event updates at live.worldbank.org
Friday November 18, 2011 1:37 World Bank Live
1:38