A very short world history

1. A very short world history

2. Humans emerged 250,000 years ago • Lived for 240,000 years exclusively as foragers • Maybe that life was pretty good

3. Agriculture emerged about 11,000 years ago • Land can support at least 50 times as many people • But not necessarily a ‘better’ life than foraging • It’s hard to go back to foraging after you’ve farmed • Tribe loses foraging skills • Population has grown

4. With agriculture • populations increase rapidly • farming creates environmental destruction • elites are needed to manage government, they take surpluses • Small elites (maybe 5%) get the benefits of civilization

5. Elites build militaries to increase power • The inequalities are found throughout ‘agrarian’ civilizations • David Christian calls the overall system ‘the tribute-taking state’

6. Over the last 2,000 years, a few nations have had periods of wealth • Gupta Empire in India (320-600 AD) • Early Moslem empires • Renaissance Italy, Spain • China under the Sòng, early Qing • It is generally hard to tell how ordinary people were affected

7. In the 17th Century, north Europe developed trade and technology • France, Netherlands, England, German states, Spain competed • England’s Isaac Newton developed modern physics, inspired technical innovators • England’s ‘Glorious Revolution’(1688)won rights and freedoms for middle classes • Population and economy grew

8. Scholars argued for free trade • But England didn’t practice it at this point • The arguments were used to push for dismantling restrictions and subsidies on trade

9. In the 19th Century, measureable economic growth began • Ordinary people – first in England and then in other European countries and English-speaking parts of the world – became better off • But few people elsewhere benefited • Environmental destruction was significant

10. Lessons from 11,000 years of history • Trade and division of labor really doincrease production • But in most of history, only a small minority has benefitted • And human production has had very negative impacts on the natural environment

11. There is no simple way to bring the benefits of prosperity to all or end environmental damage

12. After World War II, a real system for free trade is created • Many more people can participate • More people benefit • Poor countrties can create new economies • Many new regions, industries can prosper • But environmental destruction is worse.