The book reviews both the conceptual history of progress and the social and political experiences with progress over the past two centuries, and it comes to a surprising conclusion: The idea of progress was misconceived from its beginnings, and the failure of progress in practice was a result of this flawed conception. The experiences of the past half century, in turn, has allowed us to rethink progress in a more adequate way. Rather than the end of progress, they may herald the beginning of a new, reconstructed idea of progress. Provided by Publisher.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 155-165) and index.

Foreword -- The withering away of progress -- Progress as mechanism: the epistemic-economic complex -- Progress as struggle under conditions of ambivalence -- The idea of progress revisited -- The past half century -- Possible progress today -- Bibliographical note -- Index.