This narrative still leaves room for the "Great Man" or "luck" theories of history where there are nodes that could significantly alter the next stage of history. While the trends of centralization make sense, does it go a different direction if FDR dies in his first term? If the assassination attempts on Hitler succeed, does the Holocaust happen (and thus the creation of the state of Israel)? The broader themes of growth and centralization and trade continue, but this is being told in a way that implies that there are indeed inflection points that can determine the height and speed of the next wave (even if the wave itself is beyond influence).
This narrative still leaves room for the "Great Man" or "luck" theories of history where there are nodes that could significantly alter the next stage of history. While the trends of centralization make sense, does it go a different direction if FDR dies in his first term? If the assassination attempts on Hitler succeed, does the Holocaust happen (and thus the creation of the state of Israel)? The broader themes of growth and centralization and trade continue, but this is being told in a way that implies that there are indeed inflection points that can determine the height and speed of the next wave (even if the wave itself is beyond influence).