Fourth Turning
A theory from authors William Strauss and Neil Howe that history moves in roughly 80–100-year cycles,…
In plain English
A theory from authors William Strauss and Neil Howe that history moves in roughly 80–100-year cycles, ending in a period of crisis.
In their 1997 book The Fourth Turning, Strauss and Howe described four 'turnings' (eras) that repeat across generations: a high, an awakening, an unravelling and a crisis. The fourth turning is the crisis era, when old institutions are torn down and rebuilt.
Some investors cite it to argue for big long-term shifts. It is a historical theory, not a forecasting tool, and many historians are sceptical of it.
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