Project Gutenberg 2003-10-01 Public domain in the USA. 683 Bury, J. B. (John Bagnell) 1861 1927 Bury, John Bagnell The Idea of Progress: An Inquiry into Its Origin and Growth Produced by Steve Harris, Charles Franks, David Widger and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team "The Idea of Progress: An Inquiry into Its Origin and Growth" by J. B. Bury is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The book explores the development and implications of the idea of progress as a central concept in Western civilization, considering how it has shaped social theories and institutions over time. The opening of the text sets the stage for this inquiry by examining the historical evolution of the idea of progress, contrasting it with earlier themes that dominated thought during the Middle Ages, such as religious salvation and an emphasis on the afterlife. Bury contemplates how, during the modern era, the notion of progress has become intertwined with other ideals like liberty and democracy, often serving as a measurement of civilization's worth. He notes significant shifts in societal values, such as the growing ethical consideration towards future generations, and suggests that an understanding of this idea is crucial for evaluating modern political and social theories. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 55.6 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. en Progress History -- Philosophy CB HM Text Category: History - Other Category: History - Modern (1750+) Category: Philosophy & Ethics 701233 2025-08-02T11:58:41.238458 text/html 692108 2013-02-01T10:56:36 text/html 337240 2025-08-02T11:58:50.390409 application/epub+zip 348788 2025-08-02T11:58:44.722423 application/epub+zip 317719 2025-08-02T11:58:43.463426 application/epub+zip 658829 2025-08-02T11:58:55.093840 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 625416 2025-08-02T11:58:49.503418 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 497832 2022-09-02T15:16:14.359687 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 627527 2025-08-02T11:58:40.687447 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 627280 2010-01-05T16:36:30 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 18786 2025-08-02T11:58:55.361841 application/rdf+xml 20419 2025-08-02T11:58:43.986395 image/jpeg 4473 2025-08-02T11:58:43.714415 image/jpeg 239728 2013-02-01T10:56:36 application/octet-stream application/zip 232416 2010-01-05T16:37:18 application/octet-stream application/zip 330191 2025-08-02T11:58:41.288420 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia