Lifelines from our past a new world history
Chapter 1 Kinship societies
According to Stavrianos (1997) primitive cultures developed a system of human relationships that has never been matched since the Agriculture revolution. Man and man were united by relatively close bonds of kinship. This was a tribal society where social class and status did not exist. Though technologically challenged, this cultures social systems characterized by equality, fraternity and liberty was more in tune to mans primate nature , aspirations and psychic needs than what any other culture realized after the Agricultural revolution, not even todays society (Stravianos 15).
Throughout history, humans have differentiated themselves from other animals by being revolutionaries in nature, a result of their brain. Hominids Early technological advancements were not limited to making tools but also speech development and fire use. These advancements enabled early man to move out of the warm savannas of Africa to populate all continents apart from Antarctica by 100,000 B.P (before present). The separation by this dispersal created the present day races as a result of the combination of assimilation to different environments and comparative isolation of scattered communities (Bently 1997).
The type of societal organization of early man and his hominid predecessor is as significant in the success of man as is technology and is perhaps of more relevance to todays society. The nature and characteristics of these societies forms the foundation on kinship relations. These ties were communal and cooperative meaning that food was shared out amongst the immediate family and members of the band inclusive who were all kinfolk (Stravianos 17).
Kinship society is viewed as the original affluent community whose members enjoy economic security, healthy diets and a warm social life evidenced by the Kung Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert. This has enabled this mode of living to prevail for more than 95 of the history of man (Wells and Read 2002).
Chapter 2 Tributary societies
The transition from kinship to tributary society is marked by an increase in human wealth and productivity whilst starvation and malnutrition also increased. This was as a result of turning to a limited umber of domesticated grains to make up the village diet as opposed to the diversified hunter gatherer diet (Stavrianos 44).
Stavrianos (1997) argues that on all continents, tributary society which is by definition made of tribute payers and tribute collectors were characterized by class stratification. Initially the exchange of services and tributes was mutually benefiting, however the emergence of stratified social structures in the tributary societies with haves and have-nots resulted in inequitable production denying a source of livelihood to the majority (Stravianos 50).
Stavvrianos (1997) argues that the tributary society was on the verge of bankruptcy due to the fact that the elite in society squandered most of the rural surplus on bureaucratic establishments, war, lavish living and intense architecture. A few exceptions existed though. The Chinese sung dynastys mercantile energy lead to an urban economy and culture that was far superior to anything Europe had until the 19th century (Stavrianos 52).
The strained productive capacity of tributary societies usually sparked vicious cycles that involved increased levels of impoverishment and raised taxes that would lead to external invasion or internal revolt or both combined. This rise and fall of tributary societies one after the other is universal although it cannot be attributed to human genetics nor nature but to progressive limitation technological advancement by these societies (Bentley1997).
Technological inventions during tributary society came to an almost complete stagnation apart for inventions to wage wars. These inventions could not be used for wealth production and therefore did not solve the primary economic setbacks of the tributary societies. This society created an availability of manual labor in form of slaves that was easier to use than the development and invention of new machines and thus created obstacles for technological advancement. This hindrance to technology arose from a lack of desire and incentive for such innovationsb (Patrick 2005).
Chapter 3 Capitalist societies
According to the worlds modern history, Western Europe is origin for Capitalism which is characterized by its dynamics which have been described as creative destruction that brings a burst of institutional and technological innovation resulting in increased productivity. It has overwhelmed traditional economies and cultures globally because of its compelling creative inclinations. However, this societys combination of destruction and creativity generation lays foundations to both major achievements and setbacks experienced in recent centuries and the unpredictable future of time.
Capitalisms economic expansion and technological advancements has eliminated anything that does not adopt its core principle of profit or perish. The victims of this system include third world under developed societies, venerable civilizations of china, Middle East, India and food-gathering tribal communities. Capitalism released the creative destruction that provided technological advancements that had been hampered the tributary society for over millennia (Stavrianos 88).
Capitalism can be divided into commercial capitalism (this involved the capitalization of profits in order to maximize growth of investments and profits), industrial capitalism, (which moved the world towards the global integration of economies) and high-tech capitalism that has produce the greatest and fastest advancement in innovation known to humankind (Manning 140-162)
Chapter4 Human prospects
According to stavrianos (1997) human prospects cannot be precisely foreseen. However, certain parameters are to be expected with the lack of a quick solution unlikely to materialize. The evolution of socialism, which can be traced back to 1917, has been unpredictable and slow and as a result has eliciting impatience and dismay (Stavrianos 189-190).
Presently we cannot afford to ignore the fundamentals because of the pint in time of current human affairs. This is because a societys primary objective is to satisfy its humans basic needs. This calls for improved economic efficacy. Societies that have managed to reduce the gap between the up in society and the bottom and consequently the level of participation by the masses has been the most influential globally. The quality of this societys dynamism and social cohesion has enabled them to triumph over all other societies in the same age (Patrick 2005).
Conclusion
I find Stravrianos recount on the history of mankind which although selective in nature offers a new angle that reflects on present day needs and new facts very enlightening. He attempts to address the issue of what humans presently requires to learn to gain know how. This period according to him is a transitional stage towards a new paradigm in society (a progression from paradigm to paradigm as experienced in human history). The solution to eminent extinction is finding a new societal form that provides technological advancements that has beneficial use to the majority of the human populace. Lessons from Primitive cultures that had communally ordained and organized roles that eclipsed the need for individualism offer possible solutions to the current struggle (wells and read 2002).
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