lived for 240,000 years exclusively as foragers ◦ maybe that life was pretty good
TRANSCRIPT
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Lived for 240,000 years exclusively as foragers◦ Maybe that life was pretty good
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Land can support at least 50 times as many people
But not necessarily a ‘better’ life than foraging◦ It’s hard to go back to foraging after you’ve
farmed Tribe loses foraging skills Population has grown
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With agriculture◦ populations increase rapidly◦ farming creates environmental destruction ◦ elites are needed to manage government, they
take surpluses Small elites (maybe 5%) get the benefits of
civilization
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Elites build militaries to increase power The inequalities are found
throughout ‘agrarian’ civilizations David Christian calls the overall system
‘the tribute-taking state’
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Gupta Empire in India (320-600 AD) Early Moslem empires Renaissance Italy, Spain China under the Sòng, early Qing
◦ It is generally hard to tell how ordinary people were affected
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France, Netherlands, England, German states, Spain competed
England’s Isaac Newton developed modern physics, inspired technical innovators
England’s ‘Glorious Revolution’ (1688) won rights and freedoms for middle classes◦ Population and economy grew
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But England didn’t practice it at this point The arguments were used to push for
dismantling restrictions and subsidies on trade
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Ordinary people – first in England and then in other European countries and English-speaking parts of the world – became better off
But few people elsewhere benefited◦ Environmental destruction was significant
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Trade and division of labor really doincrease production
But in most of history, only a small minority has benefitted ◦ And human production has had very negative
impacts on the natural environment
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There is no simple way to bring the benefits of prosperity to all or end environmental damage
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After World War II, a real system for free trade is created◦ Many more people can participate◦ More people benefit
◦ Poor countrties can create new economies◦ Many new regions, industries can prosper
◦ But environmental destruction is worse.