The Collapse of a Society - Term Paper Example

Societal Response Collapse of a society defines the conclusion of the form of governance of the economic and social lifeof a given culture. It can also be reflected through change of the a similar culture administration as exemplified by transformation of Russian culture where by it is perceived to have been in existence before the Soviet Union society and the Imperial Russia. In most cases, the aspect has been viewed as a means of decentralization of authority after existence of a notable centralized period of social order where by competing forces replaces the central authority. This is experienced through weakening of the original central power of the selected society. The disintegration of the European feudal society perception on the underclass through the Black plague exemplifies a form of societal collapse. The outcome shows different reactions, on the European side it was a failure while for the underclass it was a break through to exercise their rights because they escaped the burden of the exploitative elites and the onerous taxes. Therefore, though there exists different form societal failure, the outcome presents both beneficial and detrimental effects on both the forces in question (Diamond 5). Societal collapse has been used to express the desertion of human cultures. Nevertheless, a clear explanation as to why such extinctions occur has been escalated by abrupt societal demise such as the Mayan civilization. Similarly, a prolonged decline of a society contributes towards failure to derive a distinct explanation for the society’s failure. A notable example is the observed gradual fall of superpowers such as the East Asia’s Han dynasty and Roman Empire in the Western Europe. These examples show examples of cultures that have failed in regards to self destructing consequences of civilization unlike the preconceived advantages of civilization to other states. Continuously, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors have been notable as key to collapse of most societies. Just like an out of balance entire system, these factors manifest themselves in a combined form. Diamond presents his perception on the causes of success and failures in a society through several examples. In regards to the examples of two farms, different societies dominate their areas of jurisdiction due to their own strength. Diamond uses two farms Harns and Bans that were similar in sizes (Diamond 21). However, despite their prosperous nature, they are vulnerable because they are located in economically marginal districts. This is based on the short summer growing season that is suitable for pasture production. As a result both farms are vulnerable to becoming extinct due to climatic conditions. Geographical location of the farms limits their access to markets. Both farms are hostages of forces beyond their control such as change of tastes and affluence of the neighbors and customers. However, evaluation of these farms at the moment of prosperity does not guarantee an individual to experet a decline. Similarly societies emerge, dominate their regions but due to factors beyond its control leads to their extinction as noted in Diamond example where Gardar farms has declined while Huls farm has continued to advance. Huls sustenance is attributed to adoption of new cultures such as the advanced technologies. It is inherent that technologically advanced and richest societies suffer economic and environmental problems that need to be taken into account in order to avoid failure of the societies. According to Diamond, appreciation of the past societal transformation provides the current societies with an opportunity to avoid failures but rather embrace changes that leads to success. In regards to collapse of Norse Greenland, a past society, Diamond perceives collapse as a drastic decline in political, economic, social complexity and human population. Before a society is termed a collapsed society, arbitrarily is not conceivable on how the society can be defined in order to be classified as a failing society. Therefore, several forms of declines dictate collapse of any given society. Examples of minor shortcomings in the society include normal minor emergence and declines of opportunities, minor social, economical or political restructurings of the society under study. Societal interactions also contribute to success or failure or success because requests between the societies may be accepted or declined. Several past societies have declined due to major causes rather than minor declines. These include the Cahokia and Anasazi within the boundaries of modern United States, Tiwanaku nad moche societies in South America, Minoan crete and Mycenean societies in Europe. In addition greater societal declines have noted in Africa’s state the Great Zimbabwe and Asian cities such as Harrappan Indus Valley and the Angkor Wat. Abandonment of some regions has been ascribed to ecological problems that are rampant in the society. This is based on the environmental destructive activities that are executed by people. These results into destruction of resources that is necessary in thriving of the society. Based on researches conducted by archaeologists, palynologists, paleontologists, and historians, self destructive nature of a society manifests in several ways namely habitat destruction and deforestation, overhunting, introduction of foreign species, human population growth, increased per-capita impact of people, overfishing, water management problems and soil problems such as loss in soil fertility, salinization, and erosion. Societal collapse attributed to population growth is based on adoption of intensifies means of production in the society. These practices include terracing, double-cropping, and irrigation. Similarly, increased population leads to encroachment on marginal lands in order to increase level of production that will merge with the ever-rising population. Environmental damages emerge due to adoption of unsustainable practices by the society. Failure is noted in the abandonment of marginal agricultural lands. Societal effects notable include starvations, wars due to limited resources, food shortage, and eviction of elites by disillusioned society’s masses. These factors results decline of the society because it experiences a decline in the population due to disease, wars, and starvation. Other consequences that emerge alongside these include loss of cultural, economic, and political complexities that had contributed to its development. Therefore, the existence of any given society is analogical to human lives of birth, growth, actualization rather the peak, senescence, and demise. However, the analogy fails to reflects the true pictures of transformation of the of the modern Soviet Union and past societies because they experienced a rapid decline after attaining their peak. Worst cases of societal declines have been noted to result into complete extinction of the culture due to death or emigration of the inhabitants. However, it is worth noting that different societies suffer different degrees of collapse due to varying causal factors (Diamond 56). Currently, there is an increased concern on societal collapse due to the risks involved. Regions that have materialized collapses include Rwanda, Somalia and some third world countries. Unlike the threats presented by emergence of untreatable diseases and nuclear, ecocide has been acknowledged by most people as a potential threat to the survival of current societies. Current environmental problems tat faces the current society are similar to those that affect the past societies. However, there are four other societal threats in addition to those experienced by the past societies. These include build-up of toxic chemicals in the environment, energy shortages, human induced climate changes, and full human exploitation of Earth’s photosynthetic capacity. The vibrant society is prone to extinction if the present [problems are not solved lest the First World Societies crumbles. Apart from the conceived doomsday scenario entailing apocalyptic industrial civilization collapse and extinction of human beings, the future society will be characterized by chronically higher risks, lower living standards, and undermining of the current key valued considerations. Various forms of societal decline will comprise such a collapse. According to Diamond, these forms will include wars that will be triggered by limited environmental resources, and worldwide spread of diseases. Therefore, the present young generation future environments will be determined by the current human activities. Past societal collapse have been of great importance to the present day reasoning in regards to the intense discussion over the seriousness of present environment problems that pose much threat to the existence of the society. There exist doubts whether the problems have been exaggerated or have been underestimated by the society. Similarly, it is debated whether the present population and advanced technology pose environmental threats. According to Diamond collapse of past societies due to adoption of modern and advanced technology places the current society at lower risks as opposed to past cultures. Other notable factors that have led to emergence of present cultures include globalization that has resulted into universal effects when a single society undergoes decline. It is perceived that the collapse of a single nation such as Somalia greatly affects regions established regions such as Europe and United states. Similarly current society’s experiences dependence of millions on advanced medical facilities for survival and preservation of the current large population. Thus, the current society can avoid collapse or its severe impacts if the past is taken into account (Diamond 142). Collapse of societies result from factors that have been contributed by past events. According to Diamond, comprehension of the past declines in the societies enables an individual to four complications and a single controversy. It is noted that several people do not comprehend the idea that past people had a major contribution to the present day critical issues. In regards to environment, currently, the society is more conscious about its damage than it had been during the previous decades. Efforts to ascertain causes of past societal collapse are meted with resistance. For example, Native Maoris and Hawaians rejects the paleontologists claim of their ancestors being accountable for the extermination of bird species that had evolved on New Zealand and Hawaii. Similarly, Native Americas detest archaeologist’s assertion of Anasazi contribution to deforestation of some pars of Southwestern U.S. These resistances are based on claims of racism pretext to affirm whites’ dispossession of indigenous people from their regions. Societal collapse as a result of ecological damage was attributed to illiteracy that resulted into negligence of case studies on societal collapses. As a result, ecological damage entailed unintended consequences and unforeseen damages rather than the conscious selfishness or culpable blind selfishness. Example of societies tat failed through these process include the Maya, though an advanced, successful, and most creative society of their time. It was primitive and stupid. Diamond argues that past societies faced collapse due existence of similar people like those in the current societies with possibilities of succeeding or failing in regards to the circumstances that surrounded them. However, evolution of the current society presents a different environment as opposed to the previously extinct, assimilated or transformed society. Rather than attributing the present environmental problems to natives of a given place, it is prudent to uphold moral principles which dictate an individual to reject what is morally wrong for the coexistence of the society (Diamond 61). Moreover, Diamond provides an exposition of complications ascribed as causative factors of societal ecological collapse in addition to the present controversies. According to Diamond, no single society is subject to collapse based on environmental damage only. Thus, collapse encompasses an array of factors. Such factors include climate change, hostile neighbors, environmental damage, friendly trade partners and societal response. To begin with, a societal collapse due to a set of factors that is caused by human beings. Environmental damage is assessed in terms of the reversibility and extends of the perceived damage. It is noted that environmental properties such as seedlings germination per acre and the rapid growth of saplings per year influences the ecological collapse of a society. These factors are either referred to as resilience in regards to their recovery potential from damage or as fragility based on their susceptibility to damage. Therefore, decline of a society is either attributed to exceptional fragility of certain aspects of the environment, exceptional imprudence of its people, or a combination of both factors. Similarly, Diamond posits that societal collapse in regards to ecological factors is attributable to climatic changes. Though the current concern on climate concentrated on global warming as a result of human factors, several factors are entailed in the climate. Seasonal variations in the climatic conditions of different places affect different societies in different ways. Studies show that past societies experienced short life spans with limited documentation unlike the current society. This is based on the year-year transition in climatic conditions of a place in addition to the multi-decade differences. Just like the past societies, the present societies usually experience an increase in population during the favorable seasons as a result of increased production. However, they fail to recognize the trends whereby such seasons of abundance usually ends thus increasing pressure on the available resources. The increased populations that result alongside with the ingrained habits that do not fit in the new climate exhaust the society’s facilities propagating its failure. Unlike the present society, the past societies did not have relief mechanisms to fend for food supplies from other regions that are present in the current society. Therefore, a society collapse when it means of operation become absolute. Natural conditions usually present both positive and negative factors on the society. Societal experience differs from one region to another. This is exemplified by evaluation of the little ice age on Greenland Norse and Greenland Inuit. Unlike its beneficial effects on Greenland Inuit, the little ice age negatively affected the Greenland Norse. A society that depletes its environmental resources is liable to absorb the losses during milder conditions of the environment but would collapse when the climate becomes drier, wetter, colder, or more variable beyond the societies means of coping. On the other hand the society can revive its existence despite depletion of its resources through self-inflicted resources (Diamond 165). Moreover, a decline into existence of the society can emerge as a result of presence of a hostile environment. Survival of a society is based on its ability to hold off its enemies. Decline is noted in cases where the society becomes wakened by factors such as economical instability, food shortages and environmental factors. Nevertheless, Diamond posits that a society’s declined is only attributable to weakening factors unlike the hostile environment. An example of a society that decline based on hostile environment is the Western Roman Empire. It is purported that the barbarians’ invasions that dominated Rome led to the Empire’s collapse. However, it is noted that the Empire had survived initial attacks as exemplified by the massive slaughtering of Teutones and Cimbri forces. Similarly, decreased support from friendly neighbors results into increased weakening of the society from external forces such as inversions and natural calamities. Coexistence between societies is demonstrated by trade associations between regions. It is noted that U.S relates with Japanese in the sense that it imports oil while Japan imports oil, wood, and seafood. Weakening of an allied partner causes weakening of the society in question in return. Works Cited Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York: Penguin Group, 2005. Print. Read More