Roots of Inequality-Jared Diamond’s Theory

There is a starting point:  “In the 13,000 years since the end of the last Ice Age, some parts of the world developed literate industrial societies with metal tools, other parts developed only non-literate farming societies, and still others retained societies of hunter-gathers with stone tools.  Those historical inequalities have cast long shadows on the modern world…”  (13)

“Why did human development proceed at such different rates on different continents? Diamond’s question was then answered: “History followed different courses for different peoples because of difference among peoples’ environments, not because of biological differences among peoples themselves.” (25)

Diamond focuses on food production, the differential effects of infectious diseases, and five aspects of technology * Metals for tools * Military technology * Sources of power for machines * Land transport * Sea transport

Political organization 1. “By late medieval or Renaissance times, most of Eurasia had come under the rule of organized states.” 2. “Many Eurasian states and empires had official religions that contributed to state cohesion.” 3. “The Americans had two empires, those of the Aztecs and Incas…”

Writing 1. “Most Eurasian states had literate bureaucracies…” 2 Writing 1. “Most Eurasian states had literate bureaucracies…” 2. “…use of writing in the Americas was confined to the elite in a small areas of Mesoamerica.”

Four sets of environmental differences Four sets of environmental differences *Continental differences in wild plant and animal species available for domestications *Rates of diffusion and migration which differed greatly among continents *Factors Affecting Diffusion Between Continents *Continental Differences in Area or Total Population Size

Summary comment “All human societies contain inventive people.  It’s just that some environments provide more starting materials, and more favorable conditions for utilizing inventions, than do other environments.”