Knowledge and Power Book Summary

In 'Knowledge and Power,' George Gilder explores the intricate relationship between information and economic growth, positing that knowledge is the true driver of prosperity. He challenges traditional economic theories that emphasize material resources, arguing instead that creativity and innovation stem from the human mind. Gilder delves into the impacts of technology and the digital age, revealing how they empower individuals and disrupt established systems. With keen insights and provocative arguments, he encourages a rethinking of capitalism, emphasizing the role of human ingenuity in shaping the future. This thought-provoking work invites readers to reconsider the fundamental principles of wealth creation in a rapidly evolving world.

By George Gilder

Published: 2013

""The essence of the human spirit is to transcend the limitations of our environment through knowledge and the creative power of technology.""

Book Review of Knowledge and Power

Ronald Reagan’s most-quoted living author—George Gilder—is back with an all-new paradigm-shifting theory of capitalism that will upturn conventional wisdom, just when our economy desperately needs a new direction. America’s struggling economy needs a better philosophy than the college student's lament: "I can't be out of money, I still have checks in my checkbook!" We’ve tried a government spending spree, and we’ve learned it doesn’t work. Now is the time to rededicate our country to the pursuit of free market capitalism, before we’re buried under a mound of debt and unfunded entitlements. But how do we navigate between government spending that's too big to sustain and financial institutions that are "too big to fail?" In Knowledge and Power, George Gilder proposes a bold new theory on how capitalism produces wealth and how our economy can regain its vitality and its growth. Gilder breaks away from the supply-side model of economics to present a new economic paradigm: the epic conflict between the knowledge of entrepreneurs on one side, and the blunt power of government on the other. The knowledge of entrepreneurs, and their freedom to share and use that knowledge, are the sparks that light up the economy and set its gears in motion. The power of government to regulate, stifle, manipulate, subsidize or suppress knowledge and ideas is the inertia that slows those gears down, or keeps them from turning at all. One of the twentieth century’s defining economic minds has returned with a new philosophy to carry us into the twenty-first. Knowledge and Power is a must-read for fiscal conservatives, business owners, CEOs, investors, and anyone interested in propelling America’s economy to future success.

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"The essence of the human spirit is to transcend the limitations of our environment through knowledge and the creative power of technology."

Knowledge and Power

By George Gilder