- 288 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
This is the history of the world, from the origins of the Cosmos to the present day, seen through three major narratives: work, sex and power - the forces that have done more than any other to shape the world as we see it now. It expertly explores the foundations of our developing society by showing how these grand themes have recurred throughout the various phases of global history. From communities of Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers, through feudalism and onto the capitalistic machine-civilisation of recent centuries, Willie Thompson takes us on a journey that is fundamentally opposed to mainstream histories which concentrate on monarchs, politicians and military commanders. At the centre of this book lies the interaction between humans and their environment. By exploring history in this way, it reveals a simple yet powerful materialist understanding of how we got to where we are today, and opens a door to a different reading of our world.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Dedication
- Preface and Acknowledgements
- Historical Timeline
- Introduction: The Fabric of History
- 1. Cosmos, Creatures and Consciousness
- 2. Cooperation, Stone, Bone and Dispersal
- 3. The Neolithic Transformation and its Consequences: Settlement, Wealth and Social Differentiation
- 4. Gender Differentiation, Sex and Kindred
- 5. Status Differentiation, Hierarchy and Hegemony
- 6. Exploitation and Violence
- 7. Ethics, Ambitions, Crime and Punishment
- 8. The Origins of Belief in the Supernatural and the First Salvation Religions
- 9. Monotheism
- 10. Imagined Communities: Signs and Symbols, Identities and Nations
- 11. A Broad View – The Rhythm of Empire
- 12. Human Reality in Transformation: Modern Population, Migration and Labour
- 13. Inhuman Powers: Capitalism, Industry and their Consequences
- 14. No Such Thing as a Free Lunch: Trade-Offs, Opportunity Cost and the Dynamic of Unintended Consequences
- 15. Social Critique
- 16. Socialism: Its Promise and Paradox
- 17. Desperately Seeking Significance
- Notes
- Index