The Knowledge Society

Name: The Knowledge Society
ISBN: 9787111672418

Peter Ferdinand Drucker / 赵巍China Machine Press · ChinaNov 2025

4.3

Word count: 144K words
Chapters: 22
ISBN: 9787111672418

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Summary

In The Knowledge Society, many remarkably insightful ideas feel fresh and unforgettable. Peter Drucker points out, for example, that patriotism alone is not enough—we also need citizenship. What is citizenship? It is the willingness to contribute to one's country—that is, to be willing to "live" for one's country rather than to "die" for it.

The Knowledge Society is a good book worth reading several times. In this restless, utilitarian age, reading a book with full attention has become an increasingly luxurious way of life; we might as well begin with The Knowledge Society and enjoy the pleasure this luxury brings.

Editor's review

At a time when the digital wave is sweeping the globe, rereading Peter Drucker's The Knowledge Society is especially timely. Published in the 1990s, this work, with its astonishing prescience, offers an indispensable intellectual framework for understanding the current transformation of social structure. Drucker's core insight lies in his prediction that society's center of gravity would shift from traditional capital and labor to knowledge as the core factor of production. This is not merely a change in economic models, but a fundamental reshaping of social organization, power structures, and even individual ways of living.

The editor believes that the book's most valuable quality lies in its systematic approach. Drucker does not stop at describing the phenomenon of the "knowledge economy"; he deeply analyzes the political form of the knowledge society, the new role of knowledge workers, the inevitable transformation of the education system, and the social functions that nonprofit organizations may assume. He examines knowledge through the long sweep of history, tracing its evolution from "ornament" to "application" and then to becoming society's "sole meaning." This grand historical perspective elevates the book beyond ordinary works of management or futurology, making it a work of social philosophy that examines the direction of modern civilization.

For Chinese readers, the book's implications are especially profound. We are personally experiencing the pains of a rapid leap from an industrial society to a knowledge society. The issues discussed in the book—the specialization and integration of knowledge, the necessity of continuous learning, and the failure of traditional management methods in knowledge-based organizations—are real challenges facing Chinese enterprises and society today. Drucker's calm, restrained tone avoids empty optimistic or pessimistic prophecies, striving instead to build a solid conceptual system for analysis. Reading this book is not about finding an immediately usable "prescription," but about gaining a "vision" that penetrates complex phenomena and understanding the deep logic of our era and the possible directions of the future.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a deep interest in management, sociology, and future trends
Corporate managers, entrepreneurs, and leaders of knowledge-based organizations
Educators and researchers concerned with the transformation of education systems
Knowledge workers seeking to understand the relationship between their careers and the times, and to find their own positioning

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting concrete, actionable management techniques or quick-fix solutions
Readers impatient with theoretical, framework-based social analysis who prefer light stories

Reading tips

It is recommended to read the introduction and first few chapters first to gain an overall grasp of the core concept of the "knowledge society."
While reading, relate the content to your own industry or organization and consider how Drucker's theories map onto or explain specific real-world phenomena.
The book spans history, economics, management, and other fields; some chapters can be reread, and there is no need to understand everything thoroughly in one pass.

About the publisher

China Machine Press China · Founded in 1950

In addition to science and technology and professional publishing, the books in our catalog from China Machine Press also reflect a sustained focus on psychology, computing, management, finance and economics, and social sciences. In psychology, the catalog includes works by C. G. Jung and introductions to analytical psychology, as well as applied topics such as stress and health, and addiction and healing. In computing, it features Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (JavaScript Edition). Management and finance titles include Administrative Behavior (4th Edition), The Price of Inequality (Collector's Edition), and This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly (Commemorative Edition). In the philosophy and history of science, there is The Worldview: The Third Edition. Relevant authors include C. G. Jung, William McGuire, Sonu Shamdasani, and Gabor Maté. Public information is limited; the above summarizes the publisher's profile based solely on the books in our catalog.

版权信息
推荐序一
推荐序二
推荐序三
引言变革
第一部分社会
第1章从资本主义到知识社会
第2章组织社会
第3章劳动力、资本及其未来
第4章新型劳动力大军的生产力
第5章以责任为基础的组织
第二部分国家
第6章从民族国家到巨型国家
第7章跨国主义、区域主义和部落主义
第8章政府需要转向
第9章通过社会部门重建公民意识
第三部分知识
第10章知识：知识经济学及知识生产力
第11章应肩负起责任的学校
第12章知识人
致谢
赞誉

FAQ

How does this book differ from Drucker's other well-known works (such as The Practice of Management)?

The Knowledge Society has a broader vision. It goes beyond the scope of single-organization management, taking knowledge as its core variable and systematically analyzing the transformation of the entire social structure. It is a capstone work in which Drucker's thought extends from inside organizations to society at large, with a stronger philosophical and sociological character.

This book was written in the 1990s. Is it still highly relevant today?

Its value is enormous. Drucker's discussion is not aimed at specific technologies but at fundamental structural shifts in society. The trends he predicted—knowledge becoming the core resource, the flattening of organizations, lifelong learning—have not only been borne out today but have developed faster and more deeply than expected. The book provides the underlying logic for understanding these changes.

Is this book difficult to read? What background knowledge is required?

The book is profound in thought but clear in language; Drucker is skilled at explaining complex ideas in plain terms. A basic grasp of social common sense and an interest in observing contemporary economy and society are enough. Although historical and economic concepts are involved, the author explains them as needed, so no specialized background is required to grasp the core ideas.

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About the author

Peter Ferdinand Drucker Author · Austrian-American · 1909–2005

Peter Drucker (1909–2005) was born in Vienna, Austria, and moved to the United States in 1937. A management consultant, educator, and writer, he is widely regarded as the father of modern management. Through his writing and consulting, he helped establish management as a teachable practice and introduced influential ideas such as management by objectives and the knowledge worker. His major works include The Practice of Management, The Effective Executive, Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices, Adventures of a Bystander, and The Age of Discontinuity. His books combine depth of thought with practical concern and span management, social science, and finance. In 2002 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

赵巍 Author

Public information about Zhao Wei is limited, and their nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background cannot currently be confirmed. Judging from the five works held in the library, the subjects they have edited or written span a notably wide range: foreign literature such as The Man with the Scar (The Complete Short Stories of Maugham, Volume 3); psychology titles on research and application, including Motivation and Personality and The Science of Psychology; a social-science reader, Knowledge Society; and a practical medical book on diagnosing and treating respiratory diseases. This breadth across literature, psychology, social science, and medicine suggests work in editorial planning, compilation, or cross-disciplinary knowledge organization rather than specialized research in a single field. In the absence of biographical or authorial statements, it is difficult to characterize their writing style and personal influence further; readers may consult the above works for a fuller picture.