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Discussion => Philosophy, Economics and Justice => Topic started by: menj on July 08, 2013, 02:00 pm

Title: The Evolution of Civilizations: Carroll Quigley
Post by: menj on July 08, 2013, 02:00 pm
You can find the book under carrollquigley.net

First published in 1961 Quigley divides the process of the life of civilizations into 7 stages:

1 Mixture -> 2 Gestation -> 3 Expansion -> 4 Age of Conflict -> 5 Universal Empire -> 6 Decay -> 7 Invasion

and applies his scheme on 4 civilizations (Mesopotamian/Canaanite,Minoan/Classical (Greek-Rom)/Western).

He was a more natural science guy who applied the scientific method to history and imo the result is fascinating.

Each civilization has a (main) instrument of expansion that becomes an institution and the stages reflect that journey. The civilization rises while this organization is an instrument and declines as it becomes an institution. Three requirements for such an organization: a) incentives to invent b) accumulation of surplus c) surplus must be redirected to inventions. Such preconditions didn't happen very often in history, but only then we see a blooming of new ideas and inventions.

When this instrument becomes an institution the organization exists no longer to fulfill a cause, only for the sake of itself. (He gives) Examples therefore in our western civilization: Feudal System (970-1270) -> Chivalry ; Commercial Capitalism (1440-1690) [Renaissance] -> State Capitalism ; Agricultural Revolution (1730) - Industrial Revolution (1770) - financial capitalism (1850) -> monopoly capitalism (1900).

I think the institution of our instruments is achieved, everybody wants to save the status quo, nobody has the ability AND free time/ressources to invent something really new for the people themself (improvisations of existing things are still happening – x gazzilion megapixel YEAH). You can see this in universities, business and the governmant. Like Rom shortly before the emporers.

The interesting question imo: Where begins the new civilization? South America (Bolivia) Subsahara Africa or India or somewhere else. How can we kickstart such an civilization? Or am i talking complete nonsense ;)

Menj (Sorry for my english)