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SocSci 2 Introduction to Civilization

ISLAMIC SINIC

INDIC

Age: 4.55 billion years old

Total Area: 510.072 million sq km (196.940 million sq mi)
Land area: 148.94 million sq km (57.506 million sq mi)
Water area: 361.132 million sq km (139.434 million sq mi)

Population: 6,706,993,152 (2008 est.)
Growth rate: 1.188% (2008 est.)

Political divisions: 195 sovereign nations, 61 dependent areas, and 6 disputed
territories.

GWP/PPP: $65.61 trillion (2007 est.). GWP—real growth rate: 5.2% (2007 est.).
GWP/PPP—per capita: $10,000 (2007 est.).

Major World Religions: Christianity (33%, 2.1 billion), Islam (20.1%, 1.3 billion),
Hinduism (13.3%, 851 million), Buddhism (5.9%, 375 million), Sikhism (0.4%, 25
million), Judaism (0.2%, 15 million)

“If you want knowledge, you must take part in the practice of
changing reality. If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must
change the pear by eating it yourself.“
Mao Zedong

Read the full account of my encounter with Sitio Target
over at my blog. The following are the relevant articles.

The Myth of Gawad Kalinga
(the original article I wrote in 2007)

We All Have Our Eden
(the reflections after our December immersion)

Sitio Target and Gawad Kalinga: The Social Context
(an explanation of the impact of the unat)

Gawad Kalinga did not have bad intentions.
Theirs was good. But why did they end up doing
harm?

Is civilization a relative term? Is one a
civilization only from a certain point of view?

What do we really mean when we say ‘civilized’
or ‘modern’? Where did our standards come
from?

The first human who We never really grow up, we
hurled an insult instead only learn how to act in public.
of a stone was the
Bryan White
founder of civilization. songwriter
Sigmund Freud
psychologist Progress is man's ability to
complicate simplicity.
Civilization begins with soap. Thor Heyerdahl
Galveston Times Ethnographer and adventurer
defunct 19th century Indiana newspaper

I've made an odd discovery. Every time I talk to a savant I feel
quite sure that happiness is no longer a possibility. Yet when I
talk with my gardener, I'm convinced of the opposite.
Bertrand Russell
Philosopher

Civilization is social order promoting cultural
creation. Four elements constitute it:

1. A system of economic provision that
leads to a food surplus,
2. A system of political organization and
social stratification,
3. A system of social norms, standards and
moral traditions,
4. The pursuit of knowledge, science, and
the arts.

Civilization begins where chaos and
insecurity end.

• 200: Earliest possible evidence of modern humans in Africa

• 175
THOUSANDS OF YEARS BEFORE THE PRESENT

• 150

• 125

• 100: Last ice age begins
90: Modern humans found in Southwest Asia
• 75:
60: Modern humans found in Australia/Sahul
• 50
40: Modern humans found in northern Eurasia
• 25
10: End of ice age, beginnings of agriculture
5: Earliest cities and states
• 0: Industrial Revolution

• 12
11.5: End of ice ages
• 11
Earliest evidence of agriculture in near east
• 10
THOUSANDS OF YEARS BEFORE THE PRESENT

Earliest evidence of agriculture in Southeast Asia
•9
•8
•7
Evidence of pastoralism in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan
•6 Evidence of agriculture in Americas
• 5: First cities and city states
First empires
•4
•3 First superempire (Persia)
•2 Foundation of world religions
•1
Foundation of largest pastoral empire (Genghis Khan, 1220CE)
•0 Industrial Revolution

“Civilization is the stage in human organization when
governmental, social, and economic institutions have developed to
sufficiently manage (however imperfectly) the problems of order,
security, and efficiency in a complex society.”
- Philip Lee Ralph, World Civilizations

“Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary
necessities.” - Mark Twain

They civilize what's pretty / By puttin' up a city
Where nothin' that's / Pretty can grow...
They civilize left/ They civilize right
Till nothing is left / Till nothing is right
- Alan Jay Lerner, The First Thing You Know

2 Key Geographic Factors:
1.Located in river valleys.
2.Within the Tropic of Cancer.

1. DECLINE IN AVAILABILITY OF WILD
FOODS.

2. INCREASE IN AVAILABILITY OF
DOMESTICABLE PLANTS.

3. DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGIES
HELPFUL TO FOOD PRODUCTION.

4. TWO WAY LINK IN RISE OF POPULATION
AND DEVELOPMENT OF FOOD
PRODUCTION. (AUTOCATALYTIC)

5. DENSER FOOD PRODUCING SOCIETIES
OUTPACED THEIR SURROUNDING
HUNTER GATHERERS.

1. FIXED SETTLEMENTS AND VILLAGES
EMERGED.

2. MORE FOOD MEANS MORE
CONSUMABLE CALORIES.

3. WITH DOMESTICATED ANIMALS CAME
LIVESTOCK.

4. FOOD PRODUCTION LED TO A MORE
SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE.

5. DOMESTICATED ANIMALS MADE
TRADE AND WARFARE POSSIBLE.

Having written The Muqaddimah, Ibn Khaldun is now
considered the father of the social sciences.

Premises in his theory of civilization:

1. Man is political. He cannot do without social
organization.
2. The power of the individual is insufficient for
him to obtain the food he needs.
3. Man’s ability to think allows him to prepare
the crafts needed to create instruments such
as tools and weapons.
4. Cooperation is necessary to bring all these
crafts together.
5. Royal authority is needed to be a restraining
influence and keep men apart.
6. Restraining influence is derived from
“prophecy” or religious law.

Lecture notes are available for the following
three slides.

Download them at
http://sirmartin.wordpress.com

While viewing this file online or in you
computer, you can click here for a direct link to
the lecture notes.

BAND TRIBE CHIEFDOM STATE

MEMBERSHIP

Number of dozens Hundreds thousands over 50,000
people
Settlement nomadic fixed: 1 village fixed: 1 or more fixed: many
Pattern villages villages and
cities
Basis of kin kin-based clans class and class and
relationships residence residence
Ethnicities and 1 1 1 1 or more
Languages

This table is adapted from Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond.


GOVERNMENT

Decision “egalitarian” “egalitarian” or centralized, centralized
making, big-man hereditary
leadership
Bureaucracy none none none, or 1 or 2 many levels
levels
Monopoly of no no yes yes
force and
information
Conflict informal informal centralized laws, judges
resolution
Hierarchy of no no no  capital
settlement paramount
village

ECONOMY
Food no no  yes yes  intensive intensive
production
Division of labor no no no  yes yes
Exchanges reciprocal reciprocal redistributive redistributive
(“tribute”) (“taxes”)
Control of land band clan chief various
SOCIETY
Stratified no no yes, by kin yes, not by kin
Slavery no no small-scale large-scale
Luxury goods no no yes Yes
for elite
Public no no no  yes yes
architecture
Indigenous no no no often

Hammurabi, the prince, called of Bel am I, making riches and increase, enriching Nippur and Dur-ilu beyond
compare, sublime patron of E-kur; who reestablished Eridu and purified the worship of E-apsu; who
conquered the four quarters of the world, made great the name of Babylon, rejoiced the heart of Marduk,
his lord who daily pays his devotions in Saggil; the royal scion whom Sin made; who enriched Ur; the
humble, the reverent, who brings wealth to Gish-shir-gal; the white king, heard of Shamash, the mighty,
who again laid the foundations of Sippara; who clothed the gravestones of Malkat with green; who made E-
babbar great, which is like the heavens, the warrior who guarded Larsa and renewed E-babbar, with
Shamash as his helper; the lord who granted new life to Uruk, who brought plenteous water to its
inhabitants, raised the head of E-anna, and perfected the beauty of Anu and Nana; shield of the land, who
reunited the scattered inhabitants of Isin; who richly endowed E-gal-mach; the protecting king of the city,
brother of the god Zamama; who firmly founded the farms of Kish, crowned E-me-te-ursag with glory,
redoubled the great holy treasures of Nana, managed the temple of Harsag-kalama; the grave of the
enemy, whose help brought about the victory; who increased the power of Cuthah; made all glorious in E-
shidlam, the black steer, who gored the enemy; beloved of the god Nebo, who rejoiced the inhabitants of
Borsippa, the Sublime; who is indefatigable for E-zida; the divine king of the city; the White, Wise; who
broadened the fields of Dilbat, who heaped up the harvests for Urash; the Mighty, the lord to whom come
scepter and crown, with which he clothes himself; the Elect of Ma-ma; who fixed the temple bounds of
Kesh, who made rich the holy feasts of Nin-tu; the provident, solicitous, who provided food and drink for
Lagash and Girsu, who provided large sacrificial offerings for the temple of Ningirsu; who captured the
enemy, the Elect of the oracle who fulfilled the prediction of Hallab, who rejoiced the heart of Anunit; the
pure prince, whose prayer is accepted by Adad; who satisfied the heart of Adad, the warrior, in Karkar, who
restored the vessels for worship in E-ud-gal-gal; the king who granted life to the city of Adab; the guide of
E-mach; the princely king of the city, the irresistible warrior, who granted life to the inhabitants of
Mashkanshabri, and brought abundance to the temple of Shidlam; the White, Potent, who penetrated the
secret cave of the bandits, saved the inhabitants of Malka from misfortune, and fixed their home fast in
wealth; who established pure sacrificial gifts for Ea and Dam-gal-nun-na, who made his kingdom
everlastingly great; the princely king of the city, who subjected the districts on the Ud-kib-nun-na Canal to
the sway of Dagon, his Creator; who spared the inhabitants of Mera and Tutul; the sublime prince, who
makes the face of Ninni shine; who presents holy meals to the divinity of Nin-a-zu, who cared for its
inhabitants in their need, provided a portion for them in Babylon in peace; the shepherd of the oppressed
and of the slaves; whose deeds find favor before Anunit, who provided for Anunit in the temple of Dumash
in the suburb of Agade; who recognizes the right, who rules by law; who gave back to the city of Ashur its
protecting god; who let the name of Ishtar of Nineveh remain in E-mish-mish; the Sublime, who humbles
himself before the great gods; successor of Sumula-il; the mighty son of Sin-muballit; the royal scion of
Eternity; the mighty monarch, the sun of Babylon, whose rays shed light over the land of Sumer and Akkad;
the king, obeyed by the four quarters of the world; Beloved of Ninni, am I.

Hammurabi, the prince, called of Bel am I, making riches and increase, enriching Nippur and Dur-ilu beyond
compare, sublime patron of E-kur; who reestablished Eridu and purified the worship of E-apsu; who
conquered the four quarters of the world, made great the name of Babylon, rejoiced the heart of Marduk,
his lord who daily pays his devotions in Saggil; the royal scion whom Sin made; who enriched Ur; the
humble, the reverent, who brings wealth to Gish-shir-gal; the white king, heard of Shamash, the mighty,
who again laid the foundations of Sippara; who clothed the gravestones of Malkat with green; who made E-
babbar great, which is like the heavens, the warrior who guarded Larsa and renewed E-babbar, with
Shamash as his helper; the lord who granted new life to Uruk, who brought plenteous water to its
inhabitants, raised the head of E-anna, and perfected the beauty of Anu and Nana; shield of the land, who
reunited the scattered inhabitants of Isin; who richly endowed E-gal-mach; the protecting king of the city,
brother of the god Zamama; who firmly founded the farms of Kish, crowned E-me-te-ursag with glory,
redoubled the great holy treasures of Nana, managed the temple of Harsag-kalama; the grave of the
enemy, whose help brought about the victory; who increased the power of Cuthah; made all glorious in E-
shidlam, the black steer, who gored the enemy; beloved of the god Nebo, who rejoiced the inhabitants of
Borsippa, the Sublime; who is indefatigable for E-zida; the divine king of the city; the White, Wise; who
broadened the fields of Dilbat, who heaped up the harvests for Urash; the Mighty, the lord to whom come
Considered to be scepter and crown, with which he clothes himself; the Elect of Ma-ma; who fixed the temple bounds of
Kesh, who made rich the holy feasts of Nin-tu; the provident, solicitous, who provided food and drink for
the first ever code Lagash and Girsu, who provided large sacrificial offerings for the temple of Ningirsu; who captured the
of laws in history enemy, the Elect of the oracle who fulfilled the prediction of Hallab, who rejoiced the heart of Anunit; the
pure prince, whose prayer is accepted by Adad; who satisfied the heart of Adad, the warrior, in Karkar, who
restored the vessels for worship in E-ud-gal-gal; the king who granted life to the city of Adab; the guide of
E-mach; the princely king of the city, the irresistible warrior, who granted life to the inhabitants of
Mashkanshabri, and brought abundance to the temple of Shidlam; the White, Potent, who penetrated the
secret cave of the bandits, saved the inhabitants of Malka from misfortune, and fixed their home fast in
wealth; who established pure sacrificial gifts for Ea and Dam-gal-nun-na, who made his kingdom
everlastingly great; the princely king of the city, who subjected the districts on the Ud-kib-nun-na Canal to
the sway of Dagon, his Creator; who spared the inhabitants of Mera and Tutul; the sublime prince, who
makes the face of Ninni shine; who presents holy meals to the divinity of Nin-a-zu, who cared for its
inhabitants in their need, provided a portion for them in Babylon in peace; the shepherd of the oppressed
and of the slaves; whose deeds find favor before Anunit, who provided for Anunit in the temple of Dumash
in the suburb of Agade; who recognizes the right, who rules by law; who gave back to the city of Ashur its
protecting god; who let the name of Ishtar of Nineveh remain in E-mish-mish; the Sublime, who humbles
himself before the great gods; successor of Sumula-il; the mighty son of Sin-muballit; the royal scion of
Eternity; the mighty monarch, the sun of Babylon, whose rays shed light over the land of Sumer and Akkad;
the king, obeyed by the four quarters of the world; Beloved of Ninni, am I.

Hammurabi, the prince, called of Bel am I, making riches and increase,
enriching Nippur and Dur-ilu beyond compare, sublime patron of E-kur;

who reestablished Eridu and purified the worship of E-apsu;

who conquered the four quarters of the world, made great the name of
Babylon, rejoiced the heart of Marduk, his lord who daily pays his
devotions in Saggil;

the royal scion whom Sin made;

Considered to be who enriched Ur;
the first ever code
of laws in history the humble, the reverent, who brings wealth to Gish-shir-gal;

the white king, heard of Shamash, the mighty, who again laid the
foundations of Sippara;

who clothed the gravestones of Malkat with green;

who made E-babbar great, which is like the heavens, the warrior who
guarded Larsa and renewed E-babbar, with Shamash as his helper;

the lord who granted new life to Uruk, who brought plenteous water to its
inhabitants, raised the head of E-anna, and perfected the beauty of Anu
and Nana;

Insights from the code:

1. To justify his rule over the Amorites (early
Babylonians), Hammurabi presented the
following in his introduction:
a. Presenting his character
b. Presenting his royal lineage
Considered to be
the first ever code c. Presenting his track record
of laws in history d. Alluding to the Gods

2. This is what Ibn Khaldun was referring to when
he mentioned the role of prophecy in
establishing royal authority: it must be based
upon a higher ideal.

1. THE NOTION OF THE ABSOLUTE OR TRANSCENDENCE.
There is a belief in either a higher being or a higher state
of life.

2. MYTHS AND SACRED TRUTHS. Stories, parables, and myths
that reveal divine realities and paths to morality.

3. ORGANIZED WORSHIP OR DEVOTION. There are
behavioural demands on the believers.

4. SOCIAL NORMS AND STANDARDS. There are values every
believer aspires to.

5. A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS. Religion is a social activity.

1. BY NUMBER OF GODHEADS.
monotheist, dualist, polytheist, atheist, non-theist, pantheist, etc.

2. BY COMPLEXITY OF LITERATURE AND WORSHIP.
a. animistic, nature worship
b. ancestor worship
c. anthropomorphic religion
d. organized religion

3. BY GEO-CULTURAL REGIONS.
a. Abrahamic: Judaism, Christianity, Islam
b. Dharmic: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism
c. Sinic: Confucianism, Taoism

1. ANIMISTIC, NATURE WORSHIP

Three elements of Shinto: purification, offering and prayer

1. ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS

SIMILARITIES
• Originated in Southwest Asia
• Traces their sacred history to Abraham
• Teachings can be summarized as “Love God above all, and love
your neighbor as you love yourself”

DIFFERENCES
• Social history birthed different traditions
• Primary figures vary: Jews (patriarchs), Christians (Jesus Christ),
Muslims (Muhammad)

2. DHARMIC RELIGIONS

SIMILARITIES
• Originated in South Asia
• Highly spiritual and devotional
• Shares common teachings such as dharma, karma and ahimsa

DIFFERENCES
• Buddhism and Jainism were reactions to Hinduism
• Hinduism subscribes to the caste system

3. SINIC RELIGION

SIMILARITIES
• Originated in East Asia
• Non-theistic
• Began not as religions but as philosophical schools
• Philosophy answered important questions on statecraft

DIFFERENCES
• Confucianism and Taoism vary in their approaches to government,
the value of knowledge, the emphasis on ritual, and the meaning of
happiness

“Civilization is the stage in human organization when
governmental, social, and economic institutions have
developed to sufficiently manage (however imperfectly)
the problems of order, security, and efficiency in a
complex society.”
- Philip Lee Ralph, World Civilizations

How are the stages in the development of
economic provision, social organization, and
organized religion related to each other?

• Why do hunting societies tend to be animist?
• Why is organized religion a feature of states?
• Why is fertility worshipped in farming societies?
• And so on and so forth.

What are mankind’s various achievements in the
different stages of civilization?

1. ENVIROMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. Climate change, the rising price of
food and oil, dwindling biodiversity, and a coming water war are just
among our environmental challenges.

2. POPULATION CHALLENGE. Our world’s population threatens to hit 12
billion by 2050 if nothing is changed.

3. GLOBAL INEQUALITY. In 2005, the poorest 40% of the world
population accounted for 5% of global income. The richest 20%
accounted for 75% of world income, and the richest 10% accounted
for 54%.

4. DEMOCRATIC RECESSION. More and more governments are
retreating into autocratic rule. What does that mean for democracy?

5. GLOBAL INSECURITY. 9/11 has exposed the geo-political tensions in
the world. What have we done since?

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SocSci 2 Introduction to Civilization

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