Paul Krugman is the New Thomas Malthus The economic history of the entire world.  Read:  Paul Krugman, The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008. T H E R E T U R N O F D E P R E S S I O N E C O N O M I C S A N D T H E C R I S I S O F 2 0 0 8 Gregory Clark,  A Farewell To Alms. A Farewell to Alms: A Brief Economic History of the World