The Idea of Progress An inguiry into its origin and growth

by John Bagnell Bury

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: Philosophy, History, Nonfiction, Politics, Reference

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1920

About the author

John Bagnell Bury (often published as J.B. Bury) was a classical scholar, historian, and philologist. He held the chair in Modern History at Trinity College, Dublin, for nine years, and also was appointed Regius Professor of Greek at Trinity, and Regius Professor of Modern History at Cambridge University.

Reviews

[Denise Kettering · Rating 2 out of 5]

J. B. Bury examines the notion of progress and how the idea developed through the writings of many philosophers. He first provides a helpful introduction in which he briefly traces the development of the idea through the various sources leading up to the 18th century and the philosophers that he wants to highlight throughout the book. From that point on, each chapter deals with a particular philosopher's take on the notion of progress: Jean Bodin, Le Roy, Francis Bacon, Descartes, Fontenelle, Voltaire, Montesuieu, Turgot, Encyclopaedists, Economistis, Diderot, Lock, Rousseau, and Chastellux. The remainder of the book takes a variety of different movements through the 19th century. While this book covers a great many movements and provides helpful information about each author, the book is difficult to read at points, dated in its language, and, at times, dull.

[Mauricio González Abrigo]

Interesantísima obra. La historia del nacimiento y desarrollo de la idea de "progreso". Una idea humana que pone nombre a propósitos humanos a ser logrados por medios humanos. Y entonces, después de siglos de discussión, de ríos de tintas argumentando, contraargumentando y proponiendo; después de sistemas, planes y politicas de todo tipo: ¿Adónde llegamos?

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Progress is a modern assumption, or invisible ideology. According to historian John Bury, writing a century ago, the previous historical ideologies were of decline from a Golden Age and cyclicality. Bury tracks the progress of the idea of Progress. He doesn't address this, but Mathus discovered the rule of Malthusian limits just as those limits were being overcome by the European miracle - & at the same time that the ideology of Progress (in the past, present and future) was being completed. Malthusian limits suggest a pattern of cyclicality, so it seems historical ideologies have been pretty accurate historically.

[Tom M (London) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many years ago I found this, in Italian (Storia dell'Idea di Progresso) in a bookshop in Florence and bought it immediately. It had never before occurred to me that "Progress" is just an idea - not a thing.

Over the years, moving from place to place, somehow this book got lost. I need to get a new copy and read it again.

I think it's fundamentally important for an age that believes we are all moving inexorably towards a future that (we assume) will be better than the present.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting if somewhat outdated tour through the idea of progress. Much more summary than original argumentation, although Bury doesn't hesitate to give you his personal opinion on the authors he describes.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book I read at least 30 years ago and reread in 2019 - gave me pause at the time to realize that progress isn't a linear upward curve - an idea now somewhat vogue

[Ramanqu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative. The book is old so the reader might need to continue the history somewhere else.

[Theo Eftimiades]

Big if true

[Alex Zakharov · Rating 3 out of 5]

For starters the edition that i got on Amazon was a bit odd - no chapter names in table of contents, and most importantly no references or index . Do not get paperback Amazon reprint-lack of references is criminal in a book of this kind.

As far as the book itself - a brief tour of how the notion of progress evolved in western thought. Overall pretty good, although somewhat dry and luckily short.

Starts with a quick overview of the ancients, who certainly didn't dwell on progress and if anything tended to view human development as a devolution or at best a cyclical procession . Briefly touches upon Augustine who at the very least gave some meaning to human existence, still no hints of progress. Middle ages were even more pessimistic of progress relative to ancients, but Aquinas did promise salvation for select few in kingdom of heaven.

Renaissance is considerably more optimistic and starts showing hopes that science and reason can bring about good things. Although that sentiment was first floated by Bacon back in 13 th century. But mostly Renaissance was not about progress but more about rehabilitation of the philosophies of the ancients.

Enlightenment is where progress starts taking root and the general predisposition towards the future becomes more positive. The book does an excellent comparison of differences in the the modalities of thought among the British (Adam Smith, Hume) , the French (Fourier, Saint-simone and of course Comte) and the Germans (Fichte, Hegel, Kant). Ironically and despite the experiences of the French revolution it was by far the French that were the most persistent and systematic when it comes to identifying stages of progress and believing in its inevitability. As such they were also the most utopian. Early 20 th century is where Bury's analysis stops. Here we can pick up John Grays ' black mass' and see how the idea of progress worked out for us in 20 th /21st century (Stalin, Hitler, Mao). But admittedly unlike Gray, Bury is cautiously optimistic with humanity's future. Perhaps had he lived longer he would have reevaluated his stands on the subject.

[Franz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bury’s book is not for everyone. If you are interested in the history of ideas, it does have much to offer. Written in 1920, some of his conclusions and interpretations may not have stood the test of time. I don’t know as I’m just beginning to research this area. He argues that the idea of Progress had only the slightest shadow of hints during the ancient and medieval period, that the idea didn’t really begin to take root, however shallow, weak, and unfed, until the late Renaissance. Scientific discoveries and technological advances nourished the idea of Progress in fits and starts until the French Enlightenment when through the philosophes the idea began to bud when several of them offered different interpretations of Progress. By the late nineteenth century, under the influence of Comte and other burgeoning social scientists, Progress was in full blossom. The immutable laws of society, the belief went, will only lead to more scientific and technological progress accompanied by progress in human and social well being. Eventually, inevitably, there will be less poverty, less war, and greater social flourishing. The assumption was that human nature was malleable and would alter, evolve, as circumstances changed.

Ahh, if it were only so!

Bury’s approach is purely nonjudgmental. He writes in the beginning that he will make no judgment on whether Progress has actually taken place or, if it has occurred, whether or not it is a good thing. Yet he cannot help himself. He seems to believe that there is such a thing as Progress, and that it would be even better if the Christians (specifically Catholics) got out of the way.

I think I discovered at least one reason why Anglo-American philosophy is so different from much of European, especially French, philosophy. For the French the basic sciences, according to Bury, are the social sciences. For Anglo-Americans the basic science is physics.

[AC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book -- and a Classic treatment. Must be read, however, with Ludwig Edelstein's The Idea of Progress in Classical Antiquity.

[Earl Duchossois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great historical perspective on the philosophy of progress. I really recommend it to persons who find such topics interesting.

[Signacvla]

muy xulo