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In his provocative new book “Progress: How One Idea Built Civilization and Now Threatens to Destroy it,” author Samuel Miller McDonald challenges the fundamental concept that has shaped human societies for millennia. McDonald argues that the narrative of progress—far from being a universal good—has functioned primarily as propaganda serving ruling class interests since the dawn of civilization.
McDonald traces this “narrative formula” back 5,000 years to the first market empires of Mesopotamia. According to his analysis, these early societies established a pattern that continues today: extracting resources from nature for profit and expansion without regard for sustainability or equitable distribution.
Even literature from this era reflects this ideology. McDonald points to the ancient “Epic of Gilgamesh” as essentially glorifying deforestation, presenting environmental exploitation as heroic advancement rather than destruction. This framing, he argues, helped normalize extractive practices that benefited elites at the expense of ecosystems and common people.
The industrial revolution, in McDonald’s view, didn’t fundamentally alter this system—it intensified it. Modern industrialization supercharged the extraction-for-profit model, accelerating environmental degradation while maintaining similar power structures. The technological innovations often celebrated as markers of progress have often served to consolidate wealth and power rather than distribute it equitably.
McDonald’s critique comes at a critical moment in global history. As climate change intensifies and inequality reaches historic levels, questions about the sustainability of current economic and political systems have gained urgency. His work joins a growing body of scholarship examining how deeply embedded cultural narratives shape policy decisions and economic structures.
The concept of progress has been particularly influential in Western market economies, where it underpins arguments for continued economic growth despite mounting environmental costs. Major corporations and financial institutions frequently invoke progress to justify business practices that generate short-term profits while potentially undermining long-term planetary health.
In an interview about the book, McDonald expressed particular concern about contemporary power brokers like Bill Gates and Peter Thiel, whom he characterizes as “extractive billionaires” continuing the ancient pattern of resource accumulation and control. “I have more faith in the general public than in people who seek positions of power and control,” he stated, highlighting his skepticism of centralized authority.
McDonald doesn’t merely critique—he offers alternatives. His proposed solutions include sortition (selecting political representatives by random lottery rather than election), agroecology (sustainable farming practices based on ecological principles), and the deliberate dissolution of elite power structures.
These recommendations align with growing movements for democratic reform, sustainable agriculture, and wealth redistribution. Sortition in particular has gained attention in recent years as a potential remedy for the influence of money in politics and the professional political class. By randomly selecting citizens to serve in governing bodies, proponents argue, governments would better reflect the actual composition and concerns of their societies.
The agroecology approach McDonald advocates has gained traction globally as industrial agriculture faces criticism for soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and contribution to climate change. Organizations like the UN Food and Agriculture Organization have increasingly recognized agroecological practices as essential for sustainable food systems.
McDonald’s work contributes to a robust intellectual tradition questioning dominant narratives about economic development. From Indigenous scholars highlighting alternative relationships with land to economists proposing post-growth models, the critique of progress as uniformly beneficial has gained momentum across disciplines.
As societies grapple with intersecting environmental and social crises, McDonald’s provocative thesis offers a framework for reconsidering fundamental assumptions. By examining how the concept of progress has functioned historically to justify exploitation, his work challenges readers to imagine alternative metrics of societal success beyond extraction and accumulation.
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7 Comments
This is a bold and challenging take on the history of progress. I’m particularly struck by the idea that the ‘narrative formula’ of resource extraction for profit has persisted for millennia, even as the scale and technology have evolved. McDonald’s work seems to be tapping into a growing unease with the unsustainability of our current economic model. I’ll be keeping an eye out for this book.
While I appreciate the historical analysis, I’m a bit skeptical of the notion that ‘progress’ is inherently problematic. Advancements in science, technology, and medicine have undoubtedly improved quality of life for many. The challenge is striking the right balance between progress and environmental/social responsibility. McDonald’s work sounds thought-provoking, but I’d want to see a nuanced treatment of these complex issues.
Fascinating to consider how ancient narratives like the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’ may have laid the groundwork for modern extractive capitalism. While I’m not convinced that ‘progress’ is inherently problematic, the historical perspective McDonald provides certainly gives pause. I’ll be keeping an eye out for this book and the discussion it’s likely to generate.
The ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’ as propaganda glorifying deforestation – that’s a bold claim. I wonder how McDonald supports that interpretation, as the epic is often viewed as an early exploration of humanity’s relationship with nature. Regardless, the broader point about how dominant narratives have normalized unsustainable practices is an important one worth grappling with.
This is a fascinating take on the origins of the ‘progress’ narrative and how it has served ruling class interests for millennia. The parallels drawn between ancient Mesopotamian societies and modern extractive capitalism are quite compelling. I’m curious to learn more about how McDonald proposes to rethink progress in a more sustainable, equitable way.
This is a timely and provocative analysis, given the growing awareness of the unsustainability of our current economic model. McDonald’s work seems to be tapping into an important debate around the ideological underpinnings of ‘progress’ and how that narrative has been leveraged to justify environmental destruction. I’m eager to read the book and engage further with these ideas.
As someone working in the mining and commodities sector, I find McDonald’s analysis quite thought-provoking. The parallels he draws between ancient Mesopotamian practices and modern industrial extraction are hard to ignore. While progress has undoubtedly brought many benefits, the environmental and social costs have often been overlooked or downplayed. I’m curious to see how McDonald proposes we rethink this foundational concept.