The Renaissance Isn’t Over: How Experimentation and Human Will Are Shaping Tomorrow

Why the Next Great Leap Forward Depends on All of Us

What if the next Renaissance is happening right now—and you’re part of it? In How to Run the World, Parag Khanna argues that the spirit of experimentation and the power of human will are driving a new era of progress. Forget waiting for top-down solutions. The most exciting changes are coming from the ground up: local experiments in policy and technology, youth-led movements for justice and ecology, and coalitions that learn, adapt, and scale what works.

Khanna’s book is full of stories where failure was not the end, but the beginning of something better. Micro-loans that started in a single village now empower millions. Climate initiatives born in cities spread globally. Public pressure—through activism and media—forces companies and governments to change. Generation Y, with its digital savvy and post-material values, is leading the way, mobilizing at lightning speed and demanding a better world.

The lesson? Progress is a journey, not a destination. The Renaissance is not a relic of history, but a living process—one that each of us can shape. By experimenting, learning, and acting with courage, we can turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s breakthroughs. The future is not written by the powerful alone, but by all of us, together.