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Agriculture was probably not done by choice. It is incredibly time intensive, and early farming societies had severe problems of malnutrition. BUT it led to pop

by kobeya 9y ago

Agriculture was probably not done by choice. It is incredibly time intensive, and early farming societies had severe problems of malnutrition. BUT it led to population explosions, and was good for the elites, and agricultural societies displaced hunter-gatherers as a result. I wouldn't say "most decided" to become farmers though. More like "a few were forced to become farmers, and their descendants out-numbered and out-competed those who did not adapt."

emodendroket 9y ago
While agriculture certainly did create social stratification, it's hard to imagine a couple guys in a society of egalitarian hunter-gatherers could force everybody else to go along with a scheme of agriculture. It seems more likely that the elites began to show up after agriculture was established than the other way around.
- kobeya 9y ago
  Yes that is basically what I was saying. It only took one regional climate/ecosystem change to initiate farming, and then one thug to centralize the proceeds of it.
ideasarefun 9y ago
I don't know whether this is a great source on this topic, but Jared Diamond wrote an interesting article which expands on what you pointed out. "The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race" http://discovermagazine.com/1987/may/02-the-worst-mistake-in-the-history-of-the-human-race http://discovermagazine.com/1987/may/02-the-worst-mistake-in...
- emodendroket 9y ago
  Say what you will about modern life but I am in no hurry to go back to hunting wild animals and foraging. There are factors to consider besides how healthy the average person is (surely a skewed measure given the unlikelihood of your surviving if you are sickly or weak). That piece also seems to be somewhat unspecific on what exactly "limiting the population" entails; after all, infanticide, a lack of medical care of any kind, and outright murder are no less available to a farming society, if you really are arguing for such a solution to inequality.
  - db48x 9y ago
    Yea, let's bring back that good old-time 15% homicide rate. That'll keep everyone equal.

by kobeya 9y ago

emodendroket 9y ago

While agriculture certainly did create social stratification, it's hard to imagine a couple guys in a society of egalitarian hunter-gatherers could force everybody else to go along with a scheme of agriculture. It seems more likely that the elites began to show up after agriculture was established than the other way around.

kobeya 9y ago
Yes that is basically what I was saying. It only took one regional climate/ecosystem change to initiate farming, and then one thug to centralize the proceeds of it.

ideasarefun 9y ago

I don't know whether this is a great source on this topic, but Jared Diamond wrote an interesting article which expands on what you pointed out. "The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race" http://discovermagazine.com/1987/may/02-the-worst-mistake-in-the-history-of-the-human-race http://discovermagazine.com/1987/may/02-the-worst-mistake-in...

emodendroket 9y ago
Say what you will about modern life but I am in no hurry to go back to hunting wild animals and foraging. There are factors to consider besides how healthy the average person is (surely a skewed measure given the unlikelihood of your surviving if you are sickly or weak). That piece also seems to be somewhat unspecific on what exactly "limiting the population" entails; after all, infanticide, a lack of medical care of any kind, and outright murder are no less available to a farming society, if you really are arguing for such a solution to inequality.
- db48x 9y ago
  Yea, let's bring back that good old-time 15% homicide rate. That'll keep everyone equal.