166. Goliath's Curse -- Luke Kemp

This book provides a comprehensive history of societal collapse, tracing the evolution of human societies from egalitarian groups to dominance hierarchies. It explores how the rise of inequalities, extractive institutions, corruption, and over-expansion led to the downfall of various empires and societies. The author, Luke Kemp, discusses the current global 'Goliath' and its vulnerabilities, including climate change, nuclear weapons, and fragile supply chains, emphasizing the need for democratic control to prevent a final collapse.

This book offers a dramatically new understanding of human history, challenging fundamental assumptions about social evolution, the development of agriculture, cities, the state, democracy, and inequality. Graeber and Wengrow argue that traditional theories of human history, such as those posited by Hobbes and Rousseau, are not supported by anthropological or archaeological evidence. Instead, they show that humans have lived in large, complex, but decentralized societies for millennia, often without ruling elites or hierarchical systems. The authors draw on extensive research in archaeology and anthropology to reveal a history that is more varied and hopeful than previously assumed, emphasizing human experimentation with different social arrangements and the potential for new forms of freedom and societal organization.

Peter Kropotkin's Mutual Aid explores the role of cooperation in evolution and society, challenging the prevailing notion of a solely competitive struggle for survival. Kropotkin argues that mutual aid, or cooperation, is a fundamental aspect of life, evident across various species and human societies. He uses numerous examples from natural history and human societies to illustrate how cooperation enhances survival and adaptation. The book's central thesis is that cooperation is not merely a secondary phenomenon but a primary driving force in evolution and social development. Kropotkin's work has had a lasting impact on anarchist thought and continues to inspire contemporary discussions on cooperation, social organization, and the potential for a more just and equitable society.