Lived for 240,000 years exclusively as foragers◦ Maybe that life was pretty good

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

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

Elites build militaries to increase power The inequalities are found

throughout ‘agrarian’ civilizations David Christian calls the overall system

‘the tribute-taking state’

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

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

But England didn’t practice it at this point The arguments were used to push for

dismantling restrictions and subsidies on trade

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

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

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

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.