Goldstone examines the causes of revolutions and uprisings between 1500 and 1800 in both Europe and Asia. Many thinkers previously believed that Europe's distinctive history—particularly the rise of capitalism—had created the revolutions that launched its path to global supremacy. Goldstone says that European and Asian states were, in fact, experiencing similar developments; it was how they reconstructed themselves in the aftermath that explained why Europe and Asia developed differently. Goldstone identifies four factors that led to the collapse of different authorities and develops a 'political stress indicator' to forecast the likelihood of present-day revolutions.