Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Development of European Civilization cover art

The Development of European Civilization

By: Kenneth R. Bartlett, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Kenneth R. Bartlett
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Buy Now for £38.99

Buy Now for £38.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Foundations of Western Civilization cover art
England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest cover art
Renaissance: The Transformation of the West cover art
The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World cover art
1066: The Year That Changed Everything cover art
The American Civil War cover art
The Mongol Empire cover art
The Iliad of Homer cover art
Ancient Mesopotamia cover art
Elements of Jazz: From Cakewalks to Fusion cover art
The Theory of Evolution: A History of Controversy cover art
Black Holes, Tides, and Curved Spacetime cover art
The New Testament cover art
History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons They Teach cover art
No Excuses: Existentialism and the Meaning of Life cover art
The Celtic World cover art

Summary

In almost every way that matters, historical Europe was the laboratory in which the world you now live in was conceived and tested. And you'll be living with the consequences for the rest of your life. These 48 lectures lead you through the doors of that laboratory and guide you through the development of Europe from the late Middle Ages through the eve of World War II.

As you follow Professor Bartlett through the dramatic story of European history, you'll learn about the major ideologies and "isms" that bubbled forth from Europe's constantly fermenting cauldron of debate and conflict, including absolutism, scientism, rationalism, capitalism, nationalism, liberalism, and totalitarianism. You'll investigate the forces that intermingled to create the Industrial Revolution and the accompanying economic and social upheavals that would, in turn, create so many more. You'll also make sense of the European ideologies of government, including the rule of law, the concept of "the consent of the governed," taxation, an independent judiciary, and other concepts. You'll explore the new roles for religion in European life, from the end of the traditional union of altar and throne to great upheavals such as the Protestant Reformation and the Great Schism. And you'll witness the evolution of the European class system, which influenced the social forces that swirled around it just as much as it was influenced by them.

Rather than offering a laundry list of dates, events, and famous individuals, Professor Bartlett leaves you instead with an understanding of historical and social causality. More important: He offers you the chance to experience Europe's development from a European perspective.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2011 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2011 The Great Courses

What listeners say about The Development of European Civilization

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    53
  • 4 Stars
    10
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    49
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    50
  • 4 Stars
    10
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A book of important insights that are important.

As a sociologist I found the book to be full of illumination and a rich data source. Highly recommended listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good review of European history

What made the experience of listening to The Development of European Civilization the most enjoyable?

clear delivery and concise and interesting content

Who was your favorite character and why?

na

What about Professor Kenneth R. Bartlett’s performance did you like?

all of it

Any additional comments?

Anyone should listen who wants to back up his knowledge of European history

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great introduction to European Civilisation

The course primarily focuses on European development between the Renaissance and the second world war. The lecturer does a fantastic job if picking out the key people and events that best exemplify the turning points and principles of Europe, without getting too bogged down in the details of any particular period. This is a difficult task given the broad sweep of the course and the time scales involved and the lecturer handles it well.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

ought to be compulsory listening!

amazing overview of european history from the persepective of politics, society and culture. very easy to listen to the lecturer. thoroughly enjoyed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Absolutely brilliant

Absolutely brilliant, apart from one tiny, really irritating point. From around chapter 18, the use of the word england was used far too often and incorrectly. Scotland and England joined in 1707 to form Great Britain and therefore the exclusive use of the word england should have ceased then. This would be incredibly confusing to North Americans, who just don’t understand the weight and implications of that terminology.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Anglo centric

As usual its mostly focused on English history and religion. Where there are numerous lectures about english history there are few as derailed about any other european country. He has a disclaimer at the start of the series, but this is a little too much in my opinion. European history to support and explain American history and origins

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very educational

This took me a long time to get through. Listening in small chunks. However it is one of the most educational and helpful things I’ve listened too. Thought provoking and helpful in understanding the way the world is today.

It is a little bit dry but in 30 min sections is manageable and broken down nicely. Each chapter is coherent and linked.

I enjoyed this learning experience

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!