Nature's inequalities -- Answers to geography : Europe and China -- European exceptionalism : a different path -- The invention of invention -- The great opening -- Eastward ho -- From discoveries to empire -- Bittersweet Isles -- Empire in the East -- For love of gain -- Golconda -- Winners and losers : the balance sheet of empire -- The nature of industrial revolution -- Why Europe : why then? -- Britain and the others -- Pursuit of Albion -- You need money to make money -- The wealth of knowledge -- Frontiers -- The South American way -- Celestial empire : stasis and retreat -- Japan : and the last shall be first -- The Meiji restoration -- History gone wrong -- Empire and after -- Loss of leadership -- Winners and -- Losers -- How did we get here : where are we going?