Over the centuries, two important beliefs arose in Europe: a faith that man could order his own destiny, and the idea that progress was normal. But by 1900, doubts had arisen concerning traditional Western values. The continuing problems of world poverty, environmental deterioration, the inequality of women, and continued warfare pose real questions about the advancement of the human race.

The Triumph of the West is noted historian J. M. Roberts’ engrossing, well-reasoned, in-depth essay on the nature of the dominance of Western civilization and its ambiguous “triumph.” Roberts’ interest is not in judging the West’s push toward greater cultural preeminence but in gaining a better understanding of the present by analyzing what got us here and, possibly, indulging in a bit of cautious optimism.