Friday, August 14, 2009
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
by Jared Diamond
As the title points out, this book explains the fates of past societies. Jared Diamond highlights several traits that lead to advancement of societies. The first set consists of continental differences in wild plants/animals that can be domesticated. The domestication of plants and animals set the stage for population increases. Food surpluses allowed for the population to have specialist.
The second set of factors leading to societal advancement was the ability to migrate. Eurasia with its east-west expanse thrived, the Americas with its north-south axis migrated much more slowly. Because of this difference Eurasia "shared" technology much quicker the other continents.
Related to the second set of factors was the diffusion of technology between continents. Australia and the Americas had little contribution to technology.
The fourth set of factors was the population supported by each content. Eurasia supported a much larger population than Australia and therefore had much more potential inventors. Along the same vain, competition between societies triggered invention and quicker development.
This book addresses the main question why the Americas were conquered by Europe rather than the other way around. It also answers the important question why some societies developed faster that others. Jared Diamond soundly squishes the belief that one society is genetically superior that another.
That said, this book reads like a college lecture. I felt many of the points made in the book were repeated over and over and that made for a difficult read.
As the title points out, this book explains the fates of past societies. Jared Diamond highlights several traits that lead to advancement of societies. The first set consists of continental differences in wild plants/animals that can be domesticated. The domestication of plants and animals set the stage for population increases. Food surpluses allowed for the population to have specialist.
The second set of factors leading to societal advancement was the ability to migrate. Eurasia with its east-west expanse thrived, the Americas with its north-south axis migrated much more slowly. Because of this difference Eurasia "shared" technology much quicker the other continents.
Related to the second set of factors was the diffusion of technology between continents. Australia and the Americas had little contribution to technology.
The fourth set of factors was the population supported by each content. Eurasia supported a much larger population than Australia and therefore had much more potential inventors. Along the same vain, competition between societies triggered invention and quicker development.
This book addresses the main question why the Americas were conquered by Europe rather than the other way around. It also answers the important question why some societies developed faster that others. Jared Diamond soundly squishes the belief that one society is genetically superior that another.
That said, this book reads like a college lecture. I felt many of the points made in the book were repeated over and over and that made for a difficult read.
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With the domestification of animals can deseases. This was the most effective weapon against the native Americans sometimes killing 95% of the population.
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