The Worst Mistake In The History Of The Human Race Analysis
Diamond, J. (1987, May). The Worst Mistake In The History Of The Human Race. Discover, 1-3. Retrieved March 8, 2018, from http://discovermagazine.com/1987/may/02-the-worst-mistake-in-the-history-of-the-human-race.
The magazine article talks about the adoption of agriculture by the earliest of human civilizations and its repercussions. The author begins the article by putting forward his argument: “With agriculture came the gross social and sexual inequality, the disease and despotism, that curse our existence” (Diamond, 1987, p. 1). He supports his argument with evidence from numerous historical archaeology studies. Through mentioning the well-grounded findings of a study of skeletons from Greece and Turkey dating back to the end of the ice age …show more content…
Lanchester explores how evidence from historical archeological studies allowed James C. Scott to reach two conclusions in his new book, Against the Grain. Firstly, the adoption of agriculture resulted in a degradation in human health. Secondly, agriculture encouraged the formation of states, as grains were easier to tax. Hence, the author writes, “it was the ability to tax and to extract a surplus from the produce of agriculture that, in Scott’s account, led to the birth of the state, and also the creation of complex societies with hierarchies, division of labor, specialist jobs, and an elite presiding over them” (Lanchester, 2017, para. 12).
Lanchester’s article thoroughly reviews the work of James C. Scott and systematically explores the various arguments presented in the book Against the Grain. Lanchester not only simplifies James’s arguments, but forms connections between the ideas presented in the book to put forward a piece of writing that is analytical and immensely useful in arguing the origination of social divisions due to adoption of
The magazine article talks about the adoption of agriculture by the earliest of human civilizations and its repercussions. The author begins the article by putting forward his argument: “With agriculture came the gross social and sexual inequality, the disease and despotism, that curse our existence” (Diamond, 1987, p. 1). He supports his argument with evidence from numerous historical archaeology studies. Through mentioning the well-grounded findings of a study of skeletons from Greece and Turkey dating back to the end of the ice age …show more content…
Lanchester explores how evidence from historical archeological studies allowed James C. Scott to reach two conclusions in his new book, Against the Grain. Firstly, the adoption of agriculture resulted in a degradation in human health. Secondly, agriculture encouraged the formation of states, as grains were easier to tax. Hence, the author writes, “it was the ability to tax and to extract a surplus from the produce of agriculture that, in Scott’s account, led to the birth of the state, and also the creation of complex societies with hierarchies, division of labor, specialist jobs, and an elite presiding over them” (Lanchester, 2017, para. 12).
Lanchester’s article thoroughly reviews the work of James C. Scott and systematically explores the various arguments presented in the book Against the Grain. Lanchester not only simplifies James’s arguments, but forms connections between the ideas presented in the book to put forward a piece of writing that is analytical and immensely useful in arguing the origination of social divisions due to adoption of