A. Z. Manfred

Hard Cover

600 pages

Progress Publishers Moscow

From the dawn of primitive society to the cutting edge of the modern era, the story of humanity is a vast, complex tapestry woven from struggle, triumph, and unstoppable progress. A Short History of the World condenses this epic narrative into a gripping, two-volume journey across five continents, laying bare the hidden forces that drive human civilization forward. Written by leading historians, this sweepingly ambitious work strips away the clutter of the centuries to focus on the truly decisive turning points—the rise and fall of great ancient empires, the brutal conquests of the Middle Ages, and the earth-shattering social revolutions that permanently reshaped our world.

At its heart, this is a book about the ultimate laws of human progress. Why do mighty states suddenly collapse into the dust of history? What fuels the relentless march of social change? Grounded in concrete historical evidence and a distinct Marxist-Leninist perspective, the authors argue that beneath every grand political event lies a universal truth: the unceasing struggle of the oppressed against their exploiters in the pursuit of true liberation.

The first volume takes you on a breathtaking ride through the centuries, tracking the acceleration of human industry and the fierce class struggles of slave-owning, feudal, and capitalist societies, culminating in the monumental shift of the 1917 October Revolution in Russia. Meticulously researched using a wealth of global sources yet written to be thoroughly accessible and engaging for the everyday reader, this book is more than a passive look at the past it is a vital blueprint for understanding where we came from, what drives our present, and where our shared future is inevitably headed.