The global economy is transforming millions of lives, but is it making them better? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the manic logic of global capitalism. Also a new history of the Renaissance - why it should be remembered more for its creation wealth than for its great art.

SEGMENT 1

Deng Xiaoping's death marks the end of an era. University of Wisconsin historian Maurice Meisner tells Steve Paulson what it's likely to mean to China's economic future and how Deng reconciled the market economy with China's socialism and nationalism. Meisner is the author of "The Deng Xiaoping Era." Also, journalist William Greider tells Steve Paulson how the market economy has changed in the last few years and why he's worried about it. Grieder is the national editor of Rolling Stone magazine and the author of "One World, Ready Or Not: The Manic Logic of Global Capitalism."

SEGMENT 2:

Lisa Jardine , a cultural historian at the University of London, tells Jim Fleming that the art of the Renaissance is only half the story: the era's real achievement was the development of "paper" in the market economy. She says the great Renaissance patrons ran on debt. Jardine is the author of "Worldly Goods: A New History of the Renaissance."

SEGMENT 3:

Poet Jerry Martien thinks American society lot a lot when it replaced the Native American system of mutual gift- giving with a money economy. Martien is the author of "Shell Game: A True Account of Beads and Money in North America." He talked with Anne Strainchamps.

Distribution dates:

• week of 02/23/97 - hour 1