‘Guns, Germs, and Steel’ by Jared Diamond

Description

“Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies” by Jared Diamond is a fundamental treatise on human cultures’ different paths over the past 13,000 years. This Pulitzer Prize-winning 1997 book questions racially based views of human history by attributing society achievement to environmental variables rather than inherent disparities.

Diamond is asked by New Guinean politician Yali, “Why do some societies have so much ‘cargo’ while others have so little?” Diamond’s investigation into global inequality begins with this question. He believes that geographic and environmental differences caused the development of domesticable flora and animals, agriculture, and technology, which caused social inequities.

Diamond proposes geographic determinism, stating that cultures in fertile locations like the Fertile Crescent had an advantage in food production. The agricultural advantage spurred population increase, technical advancement, and sophisticated political systems. In contrast, cultures in less friendly locations faced obstacles to progress.

The book extensively discusses how domesticating plants and animals benefited particular tribes. Producing extra food permitted labor specialization, which advanced technology and the arts. Additionally, close interaction with domesticated animals exposed these populations to infections, resulting in disease immunity. The spread of these viruses from such communities to others often devastated people without prior exposure, promoting conquest and colonization.

Technology, writing systems, and centralized governments are also covered by Diamond. He adds that continental axes’ direction was key to element spread. Africa and the Americas’ north-south orientations prevented the quick spread of crops, animals, and inventions across similar latitudes, but Eurasia’s east-west axis allowed for such diffusion.

“Guns, Germs, and Steel” is accessible at Alpha Readers Club for Pakistani readers interested in environmental and geographic variables that have affected human history. This thought-provoking book analyzes the forces that have shaped cultures throughout.