Key Points - Lecture on Modern History and Inequality

Conquest and Domination

• The modern era has been shaped by European conquest.
• Conquistadors in the New World used guns, germs, and steel to dominate native populations.
• Europeans have maintained global dominance through military power, diseases, and technology.

Jared Diamond's Exploration

• Jared Diamond has spent 30 years studying the roots of inequality.
• His central questions involve understanding the causes of global disparity.

Yali's Question

• In New Guinea, Diamond was asked why Europeans have more material goods (cargo) than New Guineans.
• This question prompted Diamond to explore the reasons behind global inequality.

The Role of Environment and Geography

• New Guinea has diverse, adaptable cultures but remains less affluent.
• Diamond dismisses racial explanations for inequality, focusing instead on environmental factors.
• The Fertile Crescent had advantageous crops (wheat, barley) and animals (sheep, goats) that supported early civilization.

Development of Farming

• Farming began with domestication of plants and animals in regions like the Middle East.
• These developments allowed for larger populations and technology advancements.
• New Guinea's agriculture (e.g., taro, bananas) lacked the same productivity and storability.

Animal Domestication

• Only 14 large mammals have been successfully domesticated.
• The Fertile Crescent had many of these species, contributing to their societal advancement.

Spread of Agriculture and Civilization

• Agriculture spread East and West from the Fertile Crescent, leading to civilizations in Europe and Asia.
• Geographic orientation (East-West axis) facilitated the spread of crops and animals.

Technological and Societal Development

• Development of metalworking and other technologies required food surplus.
• Societies without productive agriculture (e.g., New Guinea) could not support specialists in technology.

Critiques of Diamond's Theory

• Some argue that cultural, political, and religious factors also influence societal development.
• Diamond sees geography as the primary determinant of historical inequality.

Conclusion

• Diamond attributes the disparity in global development to geographic luck.
• He believes that environmental factors, rather than inherent cultural or racial differences, have shaped human history.