It is far from certain that we will make progress against these problems. There is no iron law that would ensure that the world continues this trend of improving living conditions. But what is clear from the long-term perspective is that the past 200 years brought us to a better position than ever before to solve these problems. Solving problems — big problems — is always a collaborative undertaking. And the group of people that is able to work together today is a much, much stronger group than there ever was on this planet. We have just seen the change over time; the world today is healthier, richer, and better educated.
