To read "From Tribes to the Modern World System" is to understand the rise of civilizations over the entire sweep of history; to read this invaluable book is to understand the stages of history over time and within their various geographic, cultural, and religious frameworks; it is to understand the struggles in today's world; it is to achieve deeper understanding of East and West in today's global conflicts; it is to have insights into change in Latin America, India, China, and beyond; it is better to understand the Arab Spring and its dynamics; it is to understand routes to Modernism and the rise of Postmodernism; and it is to ponder the problems and prospects of the future. (Quote from historian W. Roberts)