Guns, Germs and Steel: Why Europeans Came to Dominate the World in 7 Minutes

Summary

The video script explores the factors behind European dominance over the past few centuries, challenging the notion of racial superiority. It highlights Jared Diamond's theory from his book 'Guns, Germs, and Steel', which attributes this dominance to environmental and geographical factors, such as the suitability of Eurasia for agriculture and animal domestication, the spread of diseases, and the promotion of cultural exchange. The script emphasizes that the power dynamics we see today are largely a result of historical luck and environmental conditions, rather than inherent superiority.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The western world's scientific perspective 300 years ago led to a classification system that unfortunately justified slavery and colonialism.
• 🧬 The belief in European racial superiority was debunked by Jared Diamond's theory, which attributes European dominance to environmental and geographical factors rather than biological differences.
• 📚 Diamond's book 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' explores the question of why some societies developed more 'cargo' (technology and resources) than others, focusing on environmental and historical factors.
• 🌾 The transition from hunter-gatherers to farmers was pivotal in the development of civilizations, allowing for surplus food, free time, and the growth of cities and states.
• 🌱 Certain regions, like Eurasia, were more conducive to agriculture due to their climate and availability of domesticable plants and animals, which played a significant role in their societal development.
• 🐎 The number of domesticable animals was vastly higher in Eurasia compared to other continents, which contributed to their agricultural and societal advancement.
• 🦠 Disease resistance was a key factor in Eurasian dominance, as proximity to animals led to the development of immunity to diseases that later devastated populations in other parts of the world.
• 🌏 Eurasia's east-west orientation facilitated the exchange of plants, animals, and cultural innovations, unlike the north-south orientation of other continents which presented more barriers to such exchanges.
• 🏰 The development of specialized skills and technologies in Eurasian societies, such as craftsmanship and writing, led to rapid economic and technological growth.
• 🛡️ Geographical barriers in Europe led to independent societal development and intense competition, which in turn drove innovation and the survival of the fittest societies.
• 🌐 The lasting impact of geographical and environmental advantages has shaped the current global landscape, with descendants of western Europeans still holding a significant portion of the world's wealth and power.

Q & A

What significant change occurred in the western world three hundred years ago?

Three hundred years ago, the western world began to view the world through a new scientific perspective, leading to advancements in various fields but also resulting in the classification and division of human species into sub-species.

How did the classification of humans into sub-species contribute to broader issues?

The classification of humans into sub-species provided an authoritative justification for slavery and colonialism, leading to the suffering of people over three hundred years.

What was the common belief regarding the dominance of Europeans in the past?

In the past, it was commonly believed that Europeans' dominance was due to their 'superior' race compared to those from Africa, China, the Americas, etc.

What does Jared Diamond's book, Guns, Germs, and Steel, propose as the reason for European dominance?

Jared Diamond's book proposes that European dominance was not due to biological differences but rather environmental factors and a series of events that led to their position of power.

How did the transition from hunter-gatherers to farmers contribute to societal development?

The transition allowed people to store surplus food, freeing up time for activities like building cities, developing states, and eventually consolidating into empires.

What factors were necessary for the successful transition from hunting-gathering to farming?

Necessary factors included the availability of nutrient-rich crops suitable for storage, a climate conducive to storage, and animals that could be domesticated to assist in farming.

Why was Eurasia particularly suited for the development of civilization?

Eurasia had a dry climate and a variety of plants and animals that could be domesticated, such as barley, wheat, beans, flax, goats, sheep, cattle, donkeys, and horses.

How did domestication of animals contribute to the spread of diseases?

Living in close proximity with animals led to the spread of diseases like smallpox, measles, and influenza. Eurasians developed resistance over time, but these diseases had devastating effects when introduced to populations with no prior exposure.

What geographical advantage did Eurasia have that promoted cultural exchange?

Eurasia's west to east orientation allowed for a greater variety of plants and animals to be exchanged and for innovations and diseases to be shared more easily than in north to south continents.

Why did European powers, rather than Asian powers, come to dominate the world?

European societies were separated by natural barriers, leading to independent development and intense competition, which drove rapid economic and military advancement. In contrast, Asian empires were more isolated and sometimes adopted policies that hindered economic development.

What lasting impact has the historical dominance of western Europeans have on the modern world?

The historical dominance has resulted in a significant disparity in wealth and power between descendants of western Europeans and other populations, with the majority of the world's richest people being of western European descent.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 The Origins of European Dominance

This paragraph discusses the historical context and the factors contributing to the European dominance over the past few centuries. It highlights the scientific perspective that emerged 300 years ago, which unfortunately led to the classification and division of human species, justifying slavery and colonialism. The paragraph refutes the idea of European racial superiority and attributes their power to luck. It introduces Jared Diamond's theory from his book 'Guns, Germs, and Steel', which suggests that environmental factors, rather than biological differences, played a crucial role in the success of different societies. Diamond's theory emphasizes the importance of agriculture, domestication of animals, and the geographical advantages of Eurasia in the development of civilizations and the eventual domination of Europe.

05:03

📚 Specialization and Technological Advancements

The second paragraph focuses on the societal developments that arose from the agricultural revolution, enabling people to specialize in skills beyond mere survival. It explains how the specialization led to economic and technological growth in Eurasian societies. The paragraph further explores why European powers, rather than Asian powers, came to dominate the world. It discusses the geographical barriers in Europe that fostered independent societal development and competition, leading to a form of natural selection that favored advanced societies. In contrast, Asia's large, isolated empires had less competition and sometimes implemented policies that hindered economic progress. The paragraph concludes by reflecting on the lasting impact of geographical and environmental factors on the current global wealth and power distribution, with a majority of the world's richest people descending from Western Europeans.

Keywords

💡Scientific Classification

The process of categorizing and organizing living things based on shared characteristics. In the context of the video, this refers to the historical practice of dividing humans into sub-species, which unfortunately led to the justification of slavery and colonialism based on perceived racial superiority.

💡Slavery and Colonialism

Systems of exploitation and domination where one group controls and subjugates another, often for economic gain. In the video, it is mentioned as a consequence of the misuse of scientific classification and the false belief in racial superiority.

💡Racial Superiority

A belief that one race is inherently better or more advanced than others. The video critiques this notion as a fallacy that was used to justify oppressive systems like slavery and colonialism, emphasizing that true power dynamics were more a result of environmental and geographical factors.

💡Jared Diamond

An American geographer, historian, and author known for his work on the development of human societies. In the video, Diamond's book 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' is discussed as a key resource that challenges the idea of racial superiority and instead attributes the success of societies to environmental factors.

💡Environmental Determinism

The idea that human culture, behavior, and development are primarily shaped by the environment. The video supports this concept by showing how the availability of certain plants and animals, as well as climate, influenced the rise of agriculture and, subsequently, the development of civilizations.

💡Agriculture

The practice of cultivating plants and livestock for food, fiber, and other purposes. In the video, agriculture is portrayed as a pivotal development that allowed for the creation of surplus food, leading to the rise of cities, states, and empires.

💡Domestication

The process of adapting animals or plants for human use through selective breeding. The video explains that the ability to domesticate certain animals and plants played a crucial role in the development of agriculture and, by extension, the rise of civilizations.

💡Disease

Illnesses that can be transmitted between organisms, often having a significant impact on populations. In the video, diseases are discussed as a byproduct of animal domestication that gave Eurasians a selective advantage due to developed immunities, which they then spread to other parts of the world with devastating effects.

💡Geographical Advantage

A benefit or advantage that a location provides, often influencing the development and success of societies. The video argues that the geographical features of Eurasia, such as its climate and the availability of domesticatable species, gave it a significant advantage in the rise of civilizations.

💡Cultural Exchange

The sharing of ideas, practices, and information between different cultures. The video emphasizes the role of cultural exchange in the spread of innovations and the development of technologies, which contributed to the dominance of Eurasian societies.

💡Technological Advancements

The development of new technologies, tools, and techniques that improve efficiency and capabilities. In the video, technological advancements like guns and steel are highlighted as key factors that enabled European societies to conquer other parts of the world.

Highlights

Three hundred years ago, the western world began to view the world through a new scientific lens.

The categorization of the world by early scientists inadvertently led to the division of humans into sub-species, justifying slavery and colonialism.

The perceived dominance of Europeans was not due to racial superiority but rather a result of historical luck.

Jared Diamond's book 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' provides a comprehensive theory explaining European dominance over the past five centuries.

The development of agriculture, allowing for surplus food and free time, was pivotal in the rise of civilizations.

Certain regions, like Europe and Asia (Eurasia), were naturally suited for agriculture with a dry climate and domesticable plants and animals.

Eurasia had 14 domesticable animals, compared to only one in South America and none in other parts of the world.

Diseases in Eurasia, originating from close contact with animals, provided a selective advantage and devastating impact on other populations.

Eurasia's east-west orientation facilitated the exchange of plants, animals, innovations, and diseases.

The geographical fragmentation of the Americas and Africa hindered the adaptation of crops and the movement of people.

Europe's adoption of Southwest Asian agriculture and techniques played a crucial role in its development.

The specialization of skills beyond survival, such as craftsmanship and scribing, led to rapid economic and technological growth in Eurasian societies.

Natural barriers in Europe fostered independent societal development and intense competition, leading to the survival of the most advanced societies.

In contrast, Asia's large isolated empires faced less competition and sometimes implemented policies that hindered economic progress.

The mild climate of Western Europe was conducive to agriculture, unlike the desertification caused by intense agriculture in Southwest Asia.

The historical impact of geographical and environmental factors continues to influence wealth and power distribution today.

The descendants of Western Europeans constitute a majority among the richest people in the world, reflecting the lasting effects of historical events.

Transcripts

Three hundred years ago something big happened.

The western world began to look at the world with new scientific eyes.

There was a problem with this, though.

As scientists began to classify the world into different categories, they also began

to divide the human species into sub-species.

Because of this an authoritative justification of slavery and colonialism happened.

People have suffered because of this for over three hundred years.

And while many people back in the day argue that the dominance of Europeans was because

its race was “superior” to those of Africa, China, the Americans, etc.

The truth is that their power really came from luck.

Thought Monkey here.

This episode is all about outlining a theory that tries to explain why Europeans have been

so dominant over the past five hundred years.

In 1997 a man named Jared Diamond published a book called Guns, Germs, and Steel.

The book was inspired by a question that a New Guinean man named Yali asked him.

One day Yali asked Diamond, “why is it that you white people developed so much cargo and

brought it to New Guinea, but we black people had little cargo of our own?”

Diamond spends his book answering this question.

He details evidence that points to the environment rather than biological differences between

different groups of people, for their success.

He goes back over 13,000 years to discover why the west rather than the east, Africa,

or the Native Americans, have dominated the world.

The argument he points to is the European dominance is a result of opportunity and necessity

rather than any kind of particular ingenuity.

That there was a chain of events that led them to the position they are in.

If we go back far enough into history we can look at these developments.

The road to such inequality began when people stopped being hunter-gatherers and started

farming.

When this happens, people don’t have to spend all their time looking for food to eat

and instead can plant, harvest, and store a surplus of food.

With enough food stored, people can have free time and do stuff like build cities, develop

states, and consolidate those states into empires.

It’s not quite as easy as it sounds, however.

A number of factors must be in your favor in order to make the transition from hunting-gathering

to farming.

First you have to have crops that are high in nutrients which can also be stored.

And you need a climate that is dry enough that will allow storage.

You also need animals that can be domesticated by humans and used to help with the farming

process.

When you have control of these things, you can make extra food which can be used to feed

lots of people who can grow the population, learn other things, and innovate socially

and technologically.

At this point societies start to become hierarchical and political structures develop that lead

to nations being built.

The problem with most places around the world is that they aren’t even stuitable for the

first step in builing a civilization.

They simply can’t develop a system of agriculture based on their environment.

On the other hand, Europe and Asia which we will call Eurasia, was perfect.

It had a relatively dry climate and lots of plant and animals that could be domesticated.

For example it had barley, two kinds of wheat, beans, flax, goats, sheep, cattle, donkeys,

horses, and more.

Diamond discovered that while Eurasia had 14 animals that were able to be used by humans,

there was only one in South America –the Llama and none in all other parts of the world.

Some might argue that Zebras and African Elephants could be domesticated, but Zebras have been

found to be untamable.

And while African Elephants are tamable – they are nearly impossible to breed in captivity.

It is also probably true that both North America and Australia had animals at one point that

could be domesticated, but due to what looks like over hunting – both regions lost any

animals that could be used by humans.

Another key in explaining that dominance of Europe is disease.

And animal domestication had a lot to do with this.

Many of the diseases that have wiped out enormous populations in Europe and Asia are a consequence

of people living in close proximity with animals.

Diseases like smallpox, measles, and influenza all come from living close to animals.

Over hundreds of years exposure to these diseases have allowed Eurasians to develop resistances

toward them.

As they traveled they also took these diseases wherever they went – and when they came

into contact with people who have never been exposed to them, the deaths of millions resulted.

Eurasia’s geographical location also promoted cultural exchange between its people in a

way that the rest of the world lacked.

The fact that it stretches west to east instead of north to south like the Americas and Africa

do, allowed for a greater variety of plants and animals that could be domesticated to

be exchanged.

It also allowed its people to trade both innovations and diseases more easily than a north to south

continent.

Let me explain.

By being orientated west to east, domesticated breeds in one part of the continent could

be used in another location on that continent due to the seasons and climate being relatively

similar.

On the other hand, the Americas and Africa are both geographically fragmented.

In the Americas it proved difficult for crops to be adapted from one latitude to another

and in North America, from one side of the Rocky Mountains to the other.

Traveling from North America to South America was also extremely difficult.

Africa’s extreme variations in environment also made it pretty much impossible to use

domesticated plants and animals from different locations.

Unlike these two places, Europeans were able to adopt the animals and plants of Southwest

Asia, and their agricultural techniques over thousands of years ago.

By 1000 CE pretty much all of Europe had adopted the plants and methods of Southwest Asia.

Because societies in Eurasia were able to produce a crop surplus and develop cities,

people were able to specialize in skills outside of basic survival.

People like craftsmen and scribes made Eurasian societies grow economically and technologically

much faster than hunter-gatherers.

These advantages eventually led the people of one part of Eurasia – Europe – to conquer

the world using technological advances like guns and steel.

Some might ask why it was the European powers rather than the Asian powers of Eurasia who

dominated the world.

After all China has historically been one of the most powerful and stable places in

the world.

Diamond proposes that there are geographical explanations.

In Europe there are lots of natural barriers like mountains, rivers, the sea, etc. which

allowed societies to develop independently of each other.

At the same time competition between these societies were massive and ensured that those

who didn’t develop quickly would soon be conquered.

In other words it was a natural selection of societies – only the most economically

and militarily advanced societies survived.

Unlike in Europe, Asia had large isolated empires which deprived them of as much competition

and led to policies that sometimes hindered their economic development.

One example is when China banned ocean going ships in the 16th century, just as the Europeans

were beginning to explore and colonize the world.

Western Europe also benefitted from a mild climate that was suitable for agriculture.

In southwest Asia or what we sometimes call the Middle East, intense agriculture eventually

damaged the environment enough that the desertification of the region was encouraged.

Even today as the world has entered a more globalized era, the difference in wealth and

power is huge between people who have descended from western Europeans and everyone else.

In fact if you look at a list of the richest people in the world, the majority are people

who have descended from western Europeans.

Most of us don’t stop to think about it, but the consequences of geographical and environmental

luck have had a lasting impact on each and every one of our lives today.

Thanks for watching the video.

If you enjoyed it please click the thumbs up button below and subscribe to stay updated

with the latest though monkey video.