The Fourth Turning: What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America's Next Rendezvous with Destiny

by William Strauss

Since the dawn of the modern world, there has been but one Fourth Turning constellation: elder Prophets, midlife Nomads, young-adult Heroes, and child Artists. For half a millennium, that constellation has recurred exactly the same way five times, and a sixth time with a slight variation in timing and consequence. This archetypal lineup has been one of the great constants of Anglo-American history. ■ The indulged Prophet children of Highs, born in the aftermath of one Crisis, foment the next Crisis upon entering elderhood. ■ The abandoned Nomad children of Awakenings become the pragmatic midlife managers of Crisis. ■ The protected Hero children of Unravelings provide the powerful young-adult soldiers of Crisis. ■ The suffocated children of Crises come of age afterward as Artist youths. Earlier chapters explained how Crisis eras shape generations; now you see how generations shape Crises. This explains the underlying link between the cycles of history and the rhythms of the saeculum.