How Maps Change Things

Socrates seemed different somehow, prompting the people of Athens to ask, what is your nation? His surprising answer: the world!

It was like that with Arno Peters. No country was big enough; he saw all of us as participants in a vast, universal story. Yet all around him history was seen in shrunken versions. As head of the institute for Universal History, he and colleagues analyzed “world“ history as taught in schools in various nations; they were saddened by the bias they uncovered. Accounts concentrated on the last 500 years. They majored in what military and political power-players had done, to the virtual neglect of how most people actually lived. They focused on western Europe and North America, so providing a lopsided view of the world.

Dr. Peters, holding high the principles of justice and equality, set to the task of correcting that. The resulting Synchronoptische Weltgeschichte is a 2-volume magnum opus covering fully 5,000 years of the human story, all major cultures, every geographical area, every major facet of life (including science, economics, technology and religion). All civilizations get equal treatment in this unique achievement. Highly acclaimed by scholars, there are few remaining new copies available.

For sale is the 1980 updated edition. Update 8/3/2019: Sold out!