The author has found the true villain of the 20th century, and it is a concept--bigness. The answer to such disparate questions as why do we experience global wars, mass dictatorships, economic tornadoes, a population explosion and a mounting resource environment crisis lie, according to Papworth, far back in history. They are the direct result, he attempts to show, of the forces unleashed by the collapse in the 16th century of the laws against usury. Having diagnosed this problem as stemming from this destruction of the power of people to control their work, Papworth goes on to propound a...

The author has found the true villain of the 20th century, and it is a concept--bigness. The answer to such disparate questions as why do we experience global wars, mass dictatorships, economic tornadoes, a population explosion and a mounting resource environment crisis lie, according to Papworth, far back in history. They are the direct result, he attempts to show, of the forces unleashed by the collapse in the 16th century of the laws against usury. Having diagnosed this problem as stemming from this destruction of the power of people to control their work, Papworth goes on to propound a...