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Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed (titled Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive for the British edition) is a 2. Jared Diamond, in which Diamond reviews the causes of historical and pre- historical instances of societal collapse — particularly those involving significant influences from environmental changes, the effects of climate change, hostile neighbors, and trade partners — and considers the responses different societies have had to such threats. While the bulk of the book is concerned with the demise of these historical civilizations, Diamond also argues that humanity collectively faces, on a much larger scale, many of the same issues, with possibly catastrophic near- future consequences to many of the world's populations. Synopsis[edit]. Diamond says Easter Island provides the best historical example of a societal collapse in isolation. In the prologue, Jared Diamond summarizes his methodology in one paragraph: This book employs the comparative method to understand societal collapses to which environmental problems contribute. My previous book (Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies), had applied the comparative method to the opposite problem: the differing rates of buildup of human societies on different continents over the last 1.

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In the present book focusing on collapses rather than buildups, I compare many past and present societies that differed with respect to environmental fragility, relations with neighbors, political institutions, and other "input" variables postulated to influence a society's stability. The "output" variables that I examine are collapse or survival, and form of the collapse if collapse does occur. By relating output variables to input variables, I aim to tease out the influence of possible input variables on collapses.[2]Collapses of past societies[edit]Diamond identifies five factors that contribute to collapse: climate change, hostile neighbours, collapse of essential trading partners, environmental problems, and failure to adapt to environmental issues. The root problem in all but one of Diamond's factors leading to collapse is overpopulation relative to the practicable (as opposed to the ideal theoretical) carrying capacity of the environment.

The one factor not related to overpopulation is the harmful effect of accidental or intentional introduction of non- native species to a region. Diamond also writes about cultural factors (values), such as the apparent reluctance of the Greenland Norse to eat fish. Diamond also states that "it would be absurd to claim that environmental damage must be a major factor in all collapses: the collapse of the Soviet Union is a modern counter- example, and the destruction of Carthage by Rome in 1. BC is an ancient one. It's obviously true that military or economic factors alone may suffice".[3]Modern societies[edit]He also lists twelve environmental problems facing humankind today. The first eight have historically contributed to the collapse of past societies: Deforestation and habitat destruction. Soil problems (erosion, salinization, and soil fertility losses)Water management problems.

Overhunting. Overfishing. Effects of introduced species on native species.

Overpopulation. Increased per- capita impact of people. Further, he says four new factors may contribute to the weakening and collapse of present and future societies: Anthropogenic climate change. Buildup of toxins in the environment. Energy shortages.

When the narrartor askes, “Why didn't they react in time?” in reference to the Rapa Nui of Easter Island, the answer should be evident. Living With Ed Season 3 Dvd. It is the same reason why.

Full human use of the Earth’s photosynthetic capacity. Conclusions[edit]In the last chapter, he discuss environmental problems facing modern societies and addresses objections that are often given to dismiss the importance of environmental problems (section "One- liner objections"[4]). In the "Further readings" section, he gives suggestions to people who asks "What can I do as an individual?".[5] He also draws conclusions, such as: In fact, one of the main lesson to be learned from the collapses of the Maya, Anasazi, Easter Islanders, and those other past societies [..] is that a society's steep decline may begin only a decade or two after the society reaches its peak numbers, wealth, and power. The reason is simple: maximum population, wealth, resource consumption, and waste production mean maximum environmental impact, approaching the limit where impact outstrips resources.[6]Finally, he answers the question "What are the choices that we must make if we are to succeed, and not to fail?" by identifying two crucial choices distinguishing the past societies which failed from those which survived: [7]Long- term planning: "[..] the courage to practice long- term thinking, and to make bold, courageous, anticipatory decisions at a time when problems have become perceptible but before they have reached crisis proportions."[7]Willingness to reconsider core values: "[..] the courage to make painful decisions about values. Which of the values that formerly served a society well can continue to be maintained under new changed circumstances? Which of these treasured values must instead be jettisoned and replaced with different approaches?"[7]Book structure[edit]Collapse is divided into four parts.

Part One describes the environment of the US state of Montana, focusing on the lives of several individuals in order to put a human face on the interplay between society and the environment. Part Two describes past societies that have collapsed.

Diamond uses a "framework" when considering the collapse of a society, consisting of five "sets of factors" that may affect what happens to a society: environmental damage, climate change, hostile neighbors, loss of trading partners, and the society's own responses to its environmental problems. The societies Diamond describes are. The Greenland. Norse (cf. Hvalsey Church) (climate change, environmental damage, loss of trading partners, irrational reluctance to eat fish, hostile neighbors and most unwillingness to adapt in the face of social collapse)Easter Island (a society that collapsed entirely due to environmental damage)The Polynesians of Pitcairn Island (environmental damage and loss of trading partners)The Anasazi of southwestern North America (environmental damage and climate change)The Maya of Central America (environmental damage, climate change, and hostile neighbors)Finally, Diamond discusses three past success stories. Part Three examines modern societies, including. Part Four concludes the study by considering such subjects as business and globalization, and "extracts practical lessons for us today" (pp. 2. Specific attention is given to the polder model as a way Dutch society has addressed its challenges and the "top- down" and most importantly "bottom- up" approaches that we must take now that "our world society is presently on a non- sustainable course" (p. 4.

The results of this survey are perhaps why Diamond sees "signs of hope" nevertheless and arrives at a position of "cautious optimism" for all our futures. Reviews[edit]Tim Flannery gave Collapse the highest praise in Science, writing: [8]While he planned the book, Diamond at first thought that it would deal only with human impacts on the environment. Instead, what has emerged is arguably the most incisive study of senescing human civilizations ever written. Collapse must be taken seriously. It is probably the most important book you will ever read. The Economist's review was generally favorable, although the reviewer had two disagreements.

First, the reviewer felt Diamond was not optimistic enough about the future. Secondly, the reviewer claimed Collapse contains some erroneous statistics: for instance, Diamond supposedly overstated the number of starving people in the world.[9]University of British Columbia professor of ecological planning.