MindMatters: Cliodynamics and the Secular Cycles of History

Does history really repeat? If so, how, and why? We discussed the "fourth turning" on a previous episode of MindMatters. According to Strauss and Howe, the United States has entered a time of crisis which could see societal collapse, revolution, or war. However, their theory has its problems. While suggestive on the descriptive level, it has not been scientifically supported. Enter Peter Turchin. Today we continue our discussion of historical cycles by looking at cliodynamics, a field of...