Book Description
This book shows how the seventy largest corporations in America have dealt with a single economic problem: the effective administration of an expanding business. The author summarizes the history of the expansion of the nation's largest industries during the past hundred years and then examines in depth the modern decentralized corporate structure as it was developed independently by four companies--du Pont, General Motors, Standard Oil (New Jersey), and Sears, Roebuck. This 1990 reprint includes a new introduction by the author.
Customer Reviews:
Such a great fundamental perspective on the analysis of a business.......2007-04-08
The early wrestling with the (at that time) new corporate structure and the optimal construction of hierarchy and communication chains is probably the best treatment of how to analyze a corporate structure. Viewed from what I would consider to be the outside, before business books became a form of trash novel, Chandler's construction of what we now consider the bedrock of strategic analysis is still one of the best conveyers of the perspective needed to truly understand the corporate world. It is all about enabling coordinated execution while allowing the flexibility and autonomy necessary to make the best responses to uncertain and changing external market conditions.
This is not an easy read but is definitely worth it. An incredibly interesting and insightful book. If only business research had continued to go down this path rather than postulating the drither and sales of artificial truths that it currently does.
Strategy drives structure while structure drives strategy.......2002-11-06
Chandler's book is excellent and I find myself reading it again and again as I mature as a manager. I ask myself why do some organizations act and seem so different from others? Well, Chandler's book points the way to at least some of those reasons. Using Harvard's Case Method, Chandler is Professor Emeritus at the Harvard Business School, his facts are presented in a context - a story problem if you will. Crisply written, his chapters show how large corporations struggled with organizing themselves as burgeoning growth taxed the administrative reach of the management team.
Chandler tells us that during the Civil War era most American enterprises were managed by a superintendent, almost along the lines of an agrarian model, like a mechanized plantation. But with the coming of Ford Motor, Standard Oil, General Motors, DuPont, Sears, and other familiar names in America's business pantheon, the larger organizations could no longer rely on the superintendent, or owner - even if aided by able men - to operate on such a large scale, let alone build industrial empires.
What I think is key in Chandler's analysis is that, like a Möbius loop, the strategy drives the structure while the structure drives the strategy of an organization. The layering of management and the span of control become crucial and delegating the day-to-day details of entire management functions becomes inevitable. The various senior managements created autonomous divisions. That was one thing. Yet having the divisions mesh smoothly in a gear-work structure, that was another, and one that these organization-builders solved as their corporations rose to industry leadership. And Chandler shows that it was not an overnight thing and how management wrestled with the intricacies of making it all work.
The book really has three basic parts. The first part, the introduction, gives us the landscape before the rise of the modern corporation. In the second part, Chandler presents four well written examples of how business leaders struggled with putting corporate structures together at DuPont, General Motors, Standard Oil, and Sears Roebuck - certainly four different industries that had somewhat overlapping and somewhat different products, channels of distribution, and hence, somewhat different, yet somewhat similar problems. Some authors would be very dry, but Chandler makes this at least as interesting as any article targeted toward the reader of "Fortune," "Business Week," or "The Wall Street Journal." He makes the characters come alive and the problems become real and immediate. His third part, one which only now as a more senior manager I have come to grasp more fully, is why these organizations became what they were. It had to do with the personalities of the leaders and certain common traits they demonstrated.
Chandler copyrighted "Strategy and Structure" in 1962 and that might turn some readers off, believing that his facts and issues are out of step and out of date. Yet, Sun Tzu's "The Art Of War," written in 500 BC, is read by modern managers because certain lessons transcend their times. The word "strategy" comes from the Greek, "strategos," "the art of generals." On the one hand there is the span of control. An army of five million soldiers can be managed by eight levels of management with no "manager" managing more than seven individuals below him or her. That is, at each level an "officer" supervises seven who in turn each supervise seven, and so on down the line. Layering of management, the modern bugaboo of many business leaders, is not the issue. Chandler points the reader to the issue of finding seasoned leaders who bring wisdom and experience to each level of the organization. He goes into some depth about the distinctive characteristics that those leaders demonstrated. Likewise, he acknowledges that corporate folklore make a definitive analysis thorny as it is difficult to parse the men from the enterprise itself.
In chapter six Chandler delves into the character of the business leaders who shaped these corporations. In large part they were engineers - even Houser at Sears had a degree in electrical engineering. Many had graduated from MIT or other acknowledged technology institutes and seem to have applied an engineer's, or scientist's, systematic approach to problems by creating systematized organizational structures. "Management through chaos" would not have been their style.
Some had military experience and at least one was a West Point graduate and, like the military, the corporate leaders understood how to combine different elements much as a general might understand how to use armor and infantry in combination with air support - all very different elements with their own uniqueness, but which achieve a specific result when placed in the hands of able subordinates. Chandler suggests there was an espirit de corps, a shared system of values that the organization imparted even to its non-technically trained managers that the non-technical managers readily adopted.
Finally, in chapter seven, Chandler takes the basics of his premises and with a broad brush looks at scores of other firms that adapted similar centralized structures in the wake of the industry leaders - DuPont, GM, Standard Oil, and Sears.
Today's manager deals in an increasingly far-flung supply chain and the seemingly "virtual" corporation. What makes this book relevant are the strategy and structure issues that are mirrored in those of 1962, or 1902. Regardless of who owns the assets, the problems of organizational structuring and strategy are at least as large, if not larger, than they were a century or more ago.
In my view this is what makes Chandler's book a classic and which I read and reread, each time seeing more deeply and understanding more clearly the organization issues that face modern enterprise.
I highly recommend this book for those who seek to better understand organizational structures.
Strategy and Structure.......2000-09-01
This book is a management "classic" and tells how American corporations have dealt with a common economic problem - the effective administration of an expanding business. Chandler's main point is that the structure of a company depends on the strategy of the company - a company must determine its strategy before it can organize properly. He also feels that corporations have two management tiers. VP's or executives set the vision of the company and then managers execute the vision.
Chandler summarizes the history of the expansion of the nation's largest industries during the past hundred years. He then examines in depth the modern decentralized corporate structure as it was developed independently by four companies - Dupont, General Motors, Standard Oil, and Sears.
In all fours cases, firms had to deal with their growing business. When firms had a good strategy, they developed the proper organization. Without a good strategy, various reorganizations were required. However, the growing economy solved many of their organization and strategy problems.
Book Description
This widely used industry casebook offers the leading “real-world” survey of contemporary American industries. Providing a sound new treatment of the role of public policy in a free enterprise economy, the book illustrates the broadest possible range of American market structures through a series of carefully chosen and well-developed case studies of specific industries, all written by leading authorities in their field. Featured industries include accounting/auditing, agriculture, petroleum, automobiles, cigarettes, beer, commercial banking, music recording, health care; airlines; telecommunications; and college sports. For individuals interested in industrial organization, public policy toward business, trade regulation, and regulation of industry.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic Case Studies.......2005-11-08
The book provides great case studies about several American industries. It gives insights into how selected industries have evolved and how the major players interact. If you're interested in the topics presented in the book, you will not be disappointed. The analysis is accurate and very informative.
Book Description
In Fireside Politics, Douglas B. Craig provides the first detailed and complete examination of radio's changing role in American political culture between 1920 and 1940 -- the medium's golden age, when it commanded huge national audiences without competition from television. Craig follows the evolution of radio into a commercialized, networked, and regulated industry, and ultimately into an essential tool for winning political campaigns and shaping American identity in the interwar period. Finally, he draws thoughtful comparisons of the American experience of radio broadcasting and political culture with those of Australia, Britain, and Canada.
Book Description
The United Fruit Company (UFCO) developed an unprecedented relationship with Guatemala in the first half of this century. By 1944, UFCO owned 566,000 acres, employed 20,000 people, and operated 96% of Guatemala's 719 miles of railroad, making the multinat
Customer Reviews:
Government Collusion Yields Monopoly and Exploitation.......2001-01-17
Paul Dosal wrote this book as an extension of his doctoral thesis. In doing so, he has retained the focus on the relationship between the banana giant, United Fruit Company, and the so-called Liberal regimes in Guatemala from before the turn of the 20th century to the intellectuals and workers revolution of 1944. It has the usual indicia of a scholarly work, but it is well-written and easily comprehended by the general reader. Professor Dosal brings a certain amount of passion to his work, and he clearly views the main characters as greedy and criminal, but he generally sticks to the facts and delivers them in an orderly fashion.
Guatemala was only one of several Latin American and Caribbean countries where the United Fruit Company harvested or procured bananas, and it hardly has been one of the biggest-generally accounting for about six percent of world production. Yet it was the ability of Minor Keith, Victor Cutter, and Sam Zemurray to obtain favorable arrangements from the Guatemalan strongmen, particularly Manuel Estrada Cabrera (1898-1920) and Jorge Ubico (1929-44), that allowed United Fruit to forge a unique level of near-total economic control over the entire country and its development. Not only did United Fruit develop a monopoly in the production and marketing of Guatemalan bananas, but it also controlled the country's railroads and primary port. Its contracts allowed it to operate on its property without government regulation and with very little obligation to pay taxes. It also exercised nearly complete control over Guatemala's import and export trade, including the trade of coffee, even though it was neither a producer or marketer of this other primary export commodity.
Dosal does not go out of his way to claim or prove bribes and kickbacks to government officials for these favorable arrangements. He doesn't have to, as the facts speak for themselves. Anyway, his primary indictment of the "caudillos" is that they betrayed the interests of their own people for the benefit of foreign investors to an extent far beyond any return their country and its people received. In defense of Minor Keith and his investors, Guatemala's government had attempted to develop a national railroad without success because of lack of capital, and Keith provided the expertise and capital to get the railroad and the port built. Similarly, some of the later steps taken by United Fruit that resulted in greater economic control were done after Guatemalan authorities had been unable to accomplish their economic goals by other means, but the complicity of the dictators in United Fruit's plans resulted in increasingly one-sided bargains. Professor Dosal contrasts the similar development in Costa Rica, in which democratic regimes made bargains with United Fruit that over the years were much more even-handed. Dosal's main point, well-documented in this book, is that but for the existence of dictatorial regimes in Guatemala over the 45 years, the role of United Fruit Company in Guatemala's development would have been quite different. He writes:
"While Guatemalan dictators had conditioned the development of United Fruit, American diplomats and capitalists had deluded themselves into thinking that they shaped Guatemala's destiny. The country's most brutal dictator sanctioned the concession that allowed Keith to monopolize railways, and the limited democratic opening of the 1920s blocked his efforts to extend his influence to Guatemalan financing. Without timely assistance from Guatemala's corrupt and authoritarian rulers, Keith and United would have found it much more difficult to extract liberal concessions from the government, eliminate competitors, and suppress challenges to its authority." (pp. 112-13).
Unique research & analysis, insightful for learned reader.......1998-02-12
"Doing Business" covers some of the behind the scenes maneuvering and personality conflicts typical of early 20th century Central American republics. It sheds light on the motivation of the men behind the UFC and the railroads in detail not usually seen in books delaing with this subject. Too many other books have been written about Central American politics, especially with regard to the United Fruit Company, which focus solely on classical political analysis. This work must be used when studying this era in Central American history, to gain a full picture of the events. It would be nice to see more research like that of "Doing Business", political inclinations aside.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent look at technology's effects on American democracy
- Excellent look at technology's effects on
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The Double Helix: Technology and Democracy in the American Future
Edward Wenk
Manufacturer: Ablex Publishing
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ASIN: 1567504310 |
Book Description
Those who control technology, control the future. While that prospect may sting, there is a bright side. America's preeminence stems from a remarkable intertwining of technology and democracy. The Constitution set the course. Technology provided the means. As we recognize that technology is about power--physical, economic and political--business is facilitated but principles of liberty and justice may be at risk. This book examines causes and offers remedies to strengthen self-government and restore politics as the public life of a people.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent look at technology's effects on American democracy.......2000-05-09
Reviewed in Northwest Science & Technology magazine, Spring 2000 issue
Technology, the source of much of the last century's economic progress, may spell trouble for democracy, according to Edward Wenk, Jr.'s latest book, The Double Helix. Wenk's book provides a detailed and well-thought-out exploration of the intertwining of technology and democracy, what he terms the double helix.
Wenk is in an excellent position to investigate this topic. He was the first science adviser to congress and served on the staffs of Presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon. He is also a professor emeritus of Civil Engineering and Public Affairs at the University of Washington. He was recently recognized for his contribution to public understanding of engineering in contemporary society with the Ralph Coats Roe Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Wenk's book is an excellent chronicle of the history of technology in America. Wenk provides an in-depth analysis of the effects technology has had on our economy, society and public policy.
While technology has helped make America the world leader it is today, Wenk realizes that uncritical use of technology has threatened the democracy that the country was founded upon. Few people seem to see that the answer lies not with more technology, but within us. The answer, he says, involves government, business, media, universities and religious institutions working together to create social change and revitalize a shared moral vision.
Wenk begins by cataloging some of the ways we have been affected by technology. He points out that all technology has unintended consequences, ones that often influence society as much as the technology itself does.
In fact, Wenk realizes, as more technology comes on the scene, the pace of life speeds up. Rather than saving us time, it often seems like technology gives us more choices, but less time to choose. Using a reader-friendly style, he explores a series of what he likes to call "enigmas," including how technology can bring us more information, but paradoxically brings less understanding.
Wenk also details the special influence of information technology on American culture, and ultimately, democracy. Wenk explores how technologies such as radio, television and the Web have helped create what he calls a "functional illiteracy," where language is simplified and information compressed into bite-size packets.
Speed of transmission has become more important than quality of content, Wenk says. He places particular emphasis on the influence of information technology on democratic elections, which now focus more marketing than on actual dissemination of information.
Information technology has influenced democracy in another critical way. To work correctly, democracy relies upon an informed citizenry. Television and the Web may provide more information, and do so more quickly, but the content is more questionable--sources often have conflicts of interest, Wenk says, and the information is less complete as the information bites get smaller.
Even if there is reliable information, it is seldom being transformed into understanding, Wenk says; that process takes time, time that is no longer provided in our high-speed, high-tech culture.
The underlying theme of Wenk's book is that without informed citizens, democracy cannot work. Without a shared vision of what the future should be like, we cannot work together to achieve it. And, Wenk argues, without a shared social conscience, only short term, self-centered decisions will be made.
Where does technology fit in this puzzle? Wenk pins at least some of the blame for these cultural changes on the capitalistic economy, primarily driven by technology. Technology has helped create a culture that demands instant gratification. We can quickly go anywhere we want by automobile or plane; we can easily get anything we want over the phone or through the Internet; we can instantly find any amusement we'd like from television or the Web.
The speed of today's technology does not foster long-term planning or self-sacrifice to the greater good, both of which are necessary for democracy to function, Wenk says. We need to think of the effects of our decisions for our progeny, consider what we will leave for our children.
But, Wenk says, turning technology off isn't a viable option, but neither is relying on more technology to solve the problem. Wenk is still optimistic that the human spirit can triumph when tested--can rise to the occasion. To achieve this, he calls for reform in industry, government and the media.
He points out the many ways that business and government have been partners, benefiting both. Wenk realizes that without a democratic government, business as we know it cannot survive. Industry and government need to learn to work together toward a common goal.
The media also have a role to play in preserving democracy, Wenk says. To function correctly, democracy requires accurate and trustworthy information. The media need to rise above the short-term emphasis on the scandal of the day to provide the in-depth information citizens need to make decisions.
But most of all, Wenk sees that societal change relies on the intervention of religious institutions and universities. To bring about the changes in the other spheres will require a new shared vision. Both religious institutions and universities are in a perfect position to teach civility and ethics, Wenk says.
Wenk does an excellent job of bringing the problem of technology and democracy into sharp focus. Although we are confronted with technology on a daily basis, we seldom think about the consequences. Wenk's long scientific, political and academic career gave him a unique vantage point to consider these consequences, and he doesn't like what he sees.
Wenk is a true believer in American democracy, and he realizes that the cultural changes brought about by increased technology are not compatible with increased democracy. But despite the me-first, instant gratification society that technology has created, Wenk is still confident that, working together, we have the power to return to our forefathers' shared vision of a democratic union, with liberty and justice for all.
Excellent look at technology's effects on.......2000-05-09
Reviewed in Northwest Science & Technology magazine, Spring2000 issue
Technology, the source of much of the last century'seconomic progress, may spell trouble for democracy, according to Edward Wenk, Jr.'s latest book, The Double Helix. Wenk's book provides a detailed and well-thought-out exploration of the intertwining of technology and democracy, what he terms the double helix.
Wenk is in an excellent position to investigate this topic. He was the first science adviser to congress and served on the staffs of Presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon. He is also a professor emeritus of Civil Engineering and Public Affairs at the University of Washington. He was recently recognized for his contribution to public understanding of engineering in contemporary society with the Ralph Coats Roe Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Wenk's book is an excellent chronicle of the history of technology in America. Wenk provides an in-depth analysis of the effects technology has had on our economy, society and public policy.
While technology has helped make America the world leader it is today, Wenk realizes that uncritical use of technology has threatened the democracy that the country was founded upon. Few people seem to see that the answer lies not with more technology, but within us. The answer, he says, involves government, business, media, universities and religious institutions working together to create social change and revitalize a shared moral vision.
Wenk begins by cataloging some of the ways we have been affected by technology. He points out that all technology has unintended consequences, ones that often influence society as much as the technology itself does.
In fact, Wenk realizes, as more technology comes on the scene, the pace of life speeds up. Rather than saving us time, it often seems like technology gives us more choices, but less time to choose. Using a reader-friendly style, he explores a series of what he likes to call "enigmas," including how technology can bring us more information, but paradoxically brings less understanding.
Wenk also details the special influence of information technology on American culture, and ultimately, democracy. Wenk explores how technologies such as radio, television and the Web have helped create what he calls a "functional illiteracy," where language is simplified and information compressed into bite-size packets.
Speed of transmission has become more important than quality of content, Wenk says. He places particular emphasis on the influence of information technology on democratic elections, which now focus more marketing than on actual dissemination of information.
Information technology has influenced democracy in another critical way. To work correctly, democracy relies upon an informed citizenry. Television and the Web may provide more information, and do so more quickly, but the content is more questionable--sources often have conflicts of interest, Wenk says, and the information is less complete as the information bites get smaller.
Even if there is reliable information, it is seldom being transformed into understanding, Wenk says; that process takes time, time that is no longer provided in our high-speed, high-tech culture.
The underlying theme of Wenk's book is that without informed citizens, democracy cannot work. Without a shared vision of what the future should be like, we cannot work together to achieve it. And, Wenk argues, without a shared social conscience, only short term, self-centered decisions will be made.
Where does technology fit in this puzzle? Wenk pins at least some of the blame for these cultural changes on the capitalistic economy, primarily driven by technology. Technology has helped create a culture that demands instant gratification. We can quickly go anywhere we want by automobile or plane; we can easily get anything we want over the phone or through the Internet; we can instantly find any amusement we'd like from television or the Web.
The speed of today's technology does not foster long-term planning or self-sacrifice to the greater good, both of which are necessary for democracy to function, Wenk says. We need to think of the effects of our decisions for our progeny, consider what we will leave for our children.
But, Wenk says, turning technology off isn't a viable option, but neither is relying on more technology to solve the problem. Wenk is still optimistic that the human spirit can triumph when tested--can rise to the occasion. To achieve this, he calls for reform in industry, government and the media.
He points out the many ways that business and government have been partners, benefiting both. Wenk realizes that without a democratic government, business as we know it cannot survive. Industry and government need to learn to work together toward a common goal.
The media also have a role to play in preserving democracy, Wenk says. To function correctly, democracy requires accurate and trustworthy information. The media need to rise above the short-term emphasis on the scandal of the day to provide the in-depth information citizens need to make decisions.
But most of all, Wenk sees that societal change relies on the intervention of religious institutions and universities. To bring about the changes in the other spheres will require a new shared vision. Both religious institutions and universities are in a perfect position to teach civility and ethics, Wenk says.
Wenk does an excellent job of bringing the problem of technology and democracy into sharp focus. Although we are confronted with technology on a daily basis, we seldom think about the consequences. Wenk's long scientific, political and academic career gave him a unique vantage point to consider these consequences, and he doesn't like what he sees.
Wenk is a true believer in American democracy, and he realizes that the cultural changes brought about by increased technology are not compatible with increased democracy. But despite the me-first, instant gratification society that technology has created, Wenk is still confident that, working together, we have the power to return to our forefathers' shared vision of a democratic union, with liberty and justice for all...
Average customer rating:
- A Great book on the Great Lakes
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The Northern Lights: Lighthouses of the Upper Great Lakes (Great Lakes Books)
Charles K. Hyde ,
Ann Mahan , and
John Mahan
Manufacturer: Wayne State University Press
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ASIN: 0814325548 |
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The definitive guide to lighthouses on the Great Lakes.
Customer Reviews:
A Great book on the Great Lakes.......2000-03-23
The endpapers of this book feature an 1848 map of lighthouses on the Great Lakes. The evolution of the Lighthouse Board and the Fresnel lens are accompanied with historical photos as the book moves toward the 20th century. There are even some sequential photos of early training exercises for keepers and rescue workers. Readers then get to meet some of those keepers and their families, not in dry biographies, but in colorful accounts and memoirs. Once acquainted with these brave men and women, the tour of the Great Lakes lights begins, and sometimes I think that you see these lights today through their eyes. There is a pride in those that have been lovingly preserved, and a sadness for those in ruins. Each light covered has its historical significance and photo; some lights have more than one. A great many of the shots are aerial views, all in all a treat for any lighthouse buff.
Product Description
History: Fiction or Science? is the most explosive tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by solid scientific data. The book is well-illustrated, contains over 446 graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays, which never cease to amaze the reader. Eminent mathematician proves that: Jesus Christ was born in 1153 and crucified in 1186 The Old Testament refers to mediaeval events. Apocalypse was written after 1486. Does this sound uncanny? This version of events is substantiated by hard facts and logic - validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources - to a greater extent than everything you may have read and heard about history before. The dominating historical discourse in its current state was essentially crafted in the XVI century from a rather contradictory jumble of sources such as innumerable copies of ancient Latin and Greek manuscripts whose originals had vanished in the Dark Ages and the allegedly irrefutable proof offered by late mediaeval astronomers, resting upon the power of ecclesial authorities. Nearly all of its components are blatantly untrue! For some of us, it shall possibly be quite disturbing to see the magnificent edifice of classical history to turn into an ominous simulacrum brooding over the snake pit of mediaeval politics. Twice so, in fact: the first seeing the legendary millenarian dust on the ancient marble turn into a mere layer of dirt - one that meticulous unprejudiced research can eventually remove. The second, and greater, attack of unease comes with the awareness of just how many areas of human knowledge still trust the three elephants of the consensual chronology to support them. Nothing can remedy that except for an individual chronological revolution happening in the minds of a large enough number of people.
Customer Reviews:
Has history been tampered with?.......2007-10-23
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RAZQNMXM4M9CL Has history been tampered with? Yes, it has! Did events and eras such as the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Roman Empire , the Dark Ages, and the Renaissance, actually occur within a very different chronology from what we've been told? Yes, they certainly did!
The history of humankind is both drastically shorter and dramatically different than generally presumed.
Why is it so? On one hand, it was usual custom to justify the claims to title and land by age and ancestry, and on the other the court historians knew only too well how to please their masters. The so called universal classic world history is a pack of intricate lies for all events prior to the 16th century. World history as we learn it today was entirely fabricated in the 16th-18th centuries. It's likely that nobody told you before, but
there is not a single piece of firm written evidence or artefact that is reliably and independently dated prior to the 11th century.
Naturally, after what you've learned in school and university, you will not easily believe that the classical history of ancient Rome, Greece, Asia, Egypt, China, Japan, India, etc., is manifestly false.
You will point accusing finger to the pyramids in Egypt, to the Coliseum in Rome and Great Wall of China etc., and claim, aren't they really ancient, thousands of years ancient? Well, there is no valid scientific proof that they are older than 1000 years!
The oldest original written document that can be reliably dated belongs to the 11th century!
New research asserts that Homo sapiens invented writing (including hieroglyphics) only 1000 years ago. Once invented, writing skills were immediately and irreversibly put to the use of ruling powers and science.
The consensual chronology we live with was essentially crafted in the 16th century by the Jesuits.
The world history was compiled from contradictory mix of innumerable copies of ancient Latin and Greek manuscripts and other irrefutable proofs delivered by late mediaeval astronomers that were cemented by the authority of writings of the Church Fathers.
Early in life, we learn about ancient history. Children love the magical lessons of history - they are like fairy tales. Teachers recite breathtaking stories; very soon We learn by heart the names and deeds of brave warriors, wise philosophers, fabulous pharaohs, cunning high priests and greedy scribes.
We learn of gigantic pyramids and sinister castles, kings and queens, dukes and barons, powerful heroes and beautiful ladies, emaciated saints and low-life traitors.
Ancient history is based documents, manuscripts, printed books, paintings, monuments and artefacts - called primary sources.
The problem is that neither these ancient documents, nor events described therein can be irrefutably dated, moreover they contradict each other for the most part.
When a school textbook tells us that Genghis Khan in year X or Alexander in year Y, have each conquered half of the world, it means only that it is so said in some of the written sources.
There are no answers to simple questions:
When were these primary sources written?
Where and by whom were these sources found?
It is wrongly presumed that ancient and medieval chronicles, written by Genghis Khan's or Alexander the Great contemporaries and eyewitnesses, are readily available. Actually, only sources written hundreds or even thousands of years after the events are there, compiled mostly in the 16th 18th centuries, or even later.
As a rule, these sources suffered considerable multiple manipulations, falsifications and distortions by editing. At the same time,
innumerable originals of ancient documents under various pretexts were destroyed in Europe under various pretexts.
The names of persons and geographical sites often changed meaning and location during the course of the centuries.
Geographical locations became clearly defined on maps only with the advent of printing.
This made possible the circulation of identical copies of the same map for purposes of the military, navigation, education and governance tasks.
Historians from Oxford say: "hey, everybody knows that Julius Caesar lived in the first century B.C.
`Julius Caesar' statement is only a point of view as
there is simply no irrefutable documentary proof that Julius Caesar or any other great name of antiquity ever existed.
Better than that - extremely rare sources that can be reliably dated back to the 10th-14th centuries A D, do not show the polished picture of classical history.
They show a picture both contradictory and confusing.
All methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts are erroneous:
Radio-carbon C14 method produces dating with exactitude of plus minus 1500 years, therefore it is too crude for dating of events in historical timeframe!
The Almagest tractate, which lies as corner stone contemporary chronology, compiled in the 2nd century A D by Ptolemy, the founding father of astronomy, contains astronomical data of 9th to 16th century!
The Bronze Age,that has supposedly began 5000 years ago. Bronze is made of 90% copper and 10% tin, but the technology for tin extraction dates back to 14th century A D!.
All eclipses contained in manuscripts, like Thucydides one, relating 'ancient' events have exclusively medieval dating. All horoscopes cut in stone or painted in Egyptian temples, like Dendera have exclusively early medieval dating solutions.
Not quite what you have learned in school? Open your eyes, and, you will find sufficient proof to reach step by step the inevitable conclusion that the classical chronology is false and therefore, that the history of ancient and medieval world universally accepted today, is also false. Have a fresh outlook on everything said or printed about "ancient" and "enigmatic" Roman, Greek and Egyptian, medieval as well as all other "lost and found" civilizations.
Antiquity and Dark Ages are phantoms invented in the 16th 18th and polished in 19th 20thcenturies. Human civilization is in fact barely 1000 years old!
This book will change your perception of History forever!
What if Ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt were invented during Renaissance?
What if The Old Testament was a rendition of events of the Middle Ages?
What if Jesus Christ was born in 1053 and crucified in 1086 AD?
Sounds Unbelievable?
Not after you've read "History: Fiction or Science?" by Anatoly Fomenko, the genius mathematician.
Armed with astronomy and computers Anatoly Fomenko turns History into a rocket science.
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
Book Description
This book is the classic source of empirical information on the patterns of occupational achievement in American society. Based on an unusually comprehensive set of data, it is renowned for its pioneering methods of statistical analysis as well as for its far-reaching conclusions about social stratification and occupational mobility in the United States. The American Occupational Structure received the Sorokin Award of the American Sociological Association in recognition of its significant contribution to the social sciences.
Book Description
This is the first major study of the alternatives confronting Iraq as it seeks to rebuild its vital oil industry while simultaneously constructing a new political system. The eminent contributors use comparative analysis to suggest how Iraq might best be rebuilt. Published in association with the London Middle East Institute at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
Robert Springborg holds the MBI Al Jaber Chair in Middle East studies at SOAS and is director of the London Middle East Institute.
Book Description
The community of Spreckels in the Salinas Valley was the manifestation of the dreams of immigrant Claus Spreckels, later known as the "Sugar King." Architect W. H. Weeks designed Spreckels Sugar Company's town near its massive sugar beet factory, the largest in the world. Neat rows of single-story homes sprang up on the valley floor, opening to workers in 1899. Spreckels also built a narrow-gauge railroad to cart his cargo to the docks at Moss Landing. Sugar beet production changed the focus of valley agriculture from dry to irrigated crops, resulting in the vast modern agricultural-industrial economy in today's "Salad Bowl of the World." Although Spreckels died in 1908, his company continued to own and operate the factory and much of the town until 1982, and almost 500 residents still call it home.
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- The Analysis of Household Surveys: A Microeconomic Approach to Development Policy (World Bank)
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- The Economic Institutions of Capitalism
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- The Foundation: A Great American Secret; How Private Wealth is Changing the World
- The Great Crash 1929
- The Great Crash 1929
- The Hand-Sculpted House: A Philosophical and Practical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage (The Real Goods Solar Living Book)
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