The Square and the Tower Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook Niall Ferguson

When people think of conspiracy theories, they often imagine shady networks that secretly control governments and other organizations. However, the study of networks reveals that such scenarios are unlikely—networks operating outside of established hierarchies often lead to chaos, not order. In The Square and the Tower, best-selling author and Stanford University historian Niall Ferguson applies network theory to the study of world history to reveal, among other truths, why conspiracy theories are often wrong, whether government hierarchies are truly necessary, and why social media networks stir up more conflict than harmony.In this guide, we’ll discuss the key principles that Ferguson extracts from his study of history and what these principles imply for life in the age of global commerce and digital connections. Along the way, we’ll bring in additional insights from books like Never Eat Alone and The Anatomy of Peace, and we’ll analyze new developments that are relevant to Ferguson’s view of the future.