Summary of Ggs
Guns, Germs and Steel
Preface
* Basis: Why did history unfold differently on different continents? * Predominant focus on histories of literate Eurasia (western Eurasia) and North African societies 3 disadvantages 1. More people today are interested in understanding societies besides that of Western Europe a. Other societies encompass most of the world’s population and vast majority of the world’s ethnic, cultural and linguistic groups b. Other societies are already or becoming among the world’s most powerful economic and political forces 2. History before emergence of writing around 3000BC (preliterate) receives brief treatment (99.9% of the million human history) c. Cannot provide deep understanding for how the modern world was shaped d. By 3000BC, western Eurasian and North African societies were already highly developed and systemic (central state govt, use of tools, weapons, animals for work and transport etc.) while other societies had not gained such advancements Shows that the roots of western Eurasian dominance in modern world were established before 3000BC and the reason should be investigated 3. W/o understanding the history of other societies, one lacks the basis for comparison to understand why western Eurasian societies flourished and were disproportionately powerful and innovative e. Proximate reasons for advancement: merchantilism, scientific inquiry, technology and germs that killed people who came into contact with western Eurasia (prevent spread of knowledge and technology) however, why did these factors only flourish in western Eurasia and not other parts of the world? f. Idiosyncratic cultural factors i. E.g. Confucianism in China stifled scientific advancement vs Greek traditions encouraged it in western Eurasia ii. However, Confucian China was more technologically advanced than western Eurasia until about AD 1400
Prologue
Yali’s Question *
Preface
* Basis: Why did history unfold differently on different continents? * Predominant focus on histories of literate Eurasia (western Eurasia) and North African societies 3 disadvantages 1. More people today are interested in understanding societies besides that of Western Europe a. Other societies encompass most of the world’s population and vast majority of the world’s ethnic, cultural and linguistic groups b. Other societies are already or becoming among the world’s most powerful economic and political forces 2. History before emergence of writing around 3000BC (preliterate) receives brief treatment (99.9% of the million human history) c. Cannot provide deep understanding for how the modern world was shaped d. By 3000BC, western Eurasian and North African societies were already highly developed and systemic (central state govt, use of tools, weapons, animals for work and transport etc.) while other societies had not gained such advancements Shows that the roots of western Eurasian dominance in modern world were established before 3000BC and the reason should be investigated 3. W/o understanding the history of other societies, one lacks the basis for comparison to understand why western Eurasian societies flourished and were disproportionately powerful and innovative e. Proximate reasons for advancement: merchantilism, scientific inquiry, technology and germs that killed people who came into contact with western Eurasia (prevent spread of knowledge and technology) however, why did these factors only flourish in western Eurasia and not other parts of the world? f. Idiosyncratic cultural factors i. E.g. Confucianism in China stifled scientific advancement vs Greek traditions encouraged it in western Eurasia ii. However, Confucian China was more technologically advanced than western Eurasia until about AD 1400
Prologue
Yali’s Question *