Based on the idea that communication technologies are a primary shaping force of civilizations, "Five Epochs of Civilization" presents a new scheme of world history. It identifies five epochs of historical experience and associates each with a civilization focused on particular institutions. These are: -- Civilization I focused on government, ending in large political empires -- Civilization II focused on religion, ending in the three world religions -- Civilization III focused on commerce and education within the nation state -- Civilization IV focused on the media of news and entertainment -- Civilization V focused on the internet and beyond The communication technologies which triggered these changes in culture (and their approximate dates of introduction) include: ideographic writing (3100 B.C.), alphabetic writing (800 B.C.), printing (1450 A.D.), electronic recording and broadcasting (1920 A.D.), and computer networks (1990 A.D.). McGaughey includes separate narratives for each of the four civilizations that have appeared to date in a developed form plus 'imaginative and plausible speculations concerning a possible fifth, computer-based civilization'.

Spengler's work describes how we have entered into a centuries-long "world-historical" phase comparable to late antiquity, and his controversial ideas spark debate over the meaning of historiography.

In the 5000 years of the history that we know, great empires grew and fell according to certain patterns that repeat themselves like laws of nature. The USA rose and grew to prominence in the world, reached its zenith in 1945 with the military victory and with the atom bomb, but is not destined to stay there forever. The book tries to draw the attention to the signs of decadence that match the patterns of the decadence of previous empires in history, and the patterns of growth, of progress in other cultural milieus: very few pundits in America, and in the western media in general, seem to be aware of this fact. The birth rates keep diminishing in America, and are very low in Europe. In other civilisations the birth rates have been high, and those countries count more in the world today, politically and economically, than a few generations ago. In addition, the irrational and passionate attitude of those peoples, including the aggressive suicidal attitude with religious and political connotations, is a sign of progress for them. Those people who are in favour of family planning programs and of a more relaxed morality are acting against the general interests of their countries.