Description:
Editorial Reviews
Review
“In sparkling prose, Kemp carries us through thousands of years of history to demonstrate how civilizations rise and fall and rise and fall. I was transfixed. . . . It feels to me that American democracy is currently undergoing the most profound stress test in its history and Kemp has expertly diagnosed why that is.” —Andrew Ervin, Literary Hub
"Learned, provocative and deeply unsettling. . . . Exceptionally powerful, undeniably impressive." —Andrew Lynch, Irish Times
"An invigorating look at big picture history across continents and millennia, and a survival manual to boot." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“[A] brilliant and unnerving debut. . . . Pointing to modern elites’ failure to address climate change, Kemp offers a Cassandra-like warning about the path today’s oligarchs have set. It adds up to a sweeping and dire vision of a world on the brink.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The lessons [Kemp] has drawn are often striking." —Damian Carrington, The Guardian
"A comprehensive overview of societal collapse, based on the analysis of dozens of cases spanning thousands of years from the Paleolithic to today. Highly recommended." —Peter Turchin, author of End Times
"A deeply sobering and strangely inspiring history of how societies collapse—and how we can still save ours. Read it now, or your descendants will find it in the ruins." —Johann Hari, author of Stolen Focus
"Anyone who doubts the importance of this conversation hasn't been paying attention—the spectacle of the world's richest man seizing chaotic control of the world's most powerful nation underscores the author's points about the corrosive effects of grotesque inequity. It's clearly past time that we figured out how to build down the scale of our societies, in interesting but urgent ways." —Bill McKibben, author of Here Comes The Sun
“This is the book on societal collapse that I had always hoped someone would write. It was worth the wait!” —Walter Scheidel, author of The Great Leveler
"Luke Kemp is a writer and thinker of great talent and probity, and Goliath’s Curse is an important, clarifying, and most of all timely contribution to our age of anxiety." —Gideon Lewis-Kraus, staff writer at the New Yorker
“Citing Hobbes’s Delusion, Goliath’s Curse, and cobalt miners in the Congo, renowned existential risk specialist Luke Kemp looks both back into history and forward into the future, spelling out the dangers that we currently face and suggesting ways in which we might avoid the pitfalls leading to collapse, before our luck runs out. This is a brilliant and insightful book, guaranteed to keep you thinking during the day and wide awake with worry during the night.” —Eric Cline, author of 1177 B.C. and After 1177 B.C.
“Absolutely essential reading for understanding why past civilizations collapsed,
and how to protect our own from the same fate.” —Lewis Dartnell, author of The Knowledge
“A fascinating intellectual journey . . . This is a book that should be read—and a message that should be heeded—by anyone interested in achieving lasting human prosperity while preserving our planet.” —Professor Jim Bacchus, former Congressman, founding judge of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and author of Democracy for a Sustainable World
“A profound and mind-expanding book that challenges the existing narratives of societal collapse. Through a long-term lens, Kemp asks us to reconsider histories we thought we knew, a present we take for granted, and future perils we have yet to meet. This is a chillingly enlightening read that will reorient your understanding of the world and how it came to be.” —Richard Fisher, author of The Long View and senior editor at Aeon
"A great book. The history and plausible futures of collapse are set forth with incredible clarity and rigour. The worst outcome is—we hope—probably preventable if we are perceptive enough as a species, and plan enough to persevere against the stupidity and arrogance of the plutocrats in our midst." —Danny Dorling, author of The Next Crisis
"Kemp shows that inequality breeds instability and true resilience lies in the democratisation of power. Important reading for anyone committed to a future beyond empire." —Jason Hickel, author of Less Is More
"In this wide-ranging book Luke Kemp presents a fascinating multi-millenial panorama of how societies have emerged, flourished, but eventually collapsed. He then addresses the lessons this historical record offers for safeguarding humanity’s future, in an era when unprecedented global connectedness and technological advance could engulf our entire civilisation in a terminal catastrophe." —Martin J. Rees, Astronomer Royal and author of Our Final Hour
"With a breathtaking sweep of history, Luke Kemp decodes the operating system of power and its recurring fatal error: the belief that dominance equals resilience. Goliath's Curse reveals how, from the first empires to our digital age, the concentration of power has always been a precursor to collapse. By showing that our most enduring social structures are built not on command, but on collaboration, Kemp offers a profound argument for the power of plurality. An essential read for anyone building the more open, fair, and antifragile world we urgently need." —Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s Cyber Ambassador and founding Minister of Digital Affairs
"Erudite, detailed and urgent. A masterpiece of data-driven collapsology." —Paul Cooper, author of Fall of Civilizations
"A brilliant, utterly convincing account of the evolution of human society and why we are probably reaching humanity's end days." —Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm
"A page-turning masterpiece and a necessary antidote to our age of crisis. If you like Jared Diamond you'll love Goliath's Curse. Compelling and profound." —Roman Krznaric, author of History for Tomorrow and The Good Ancestor
"Goliath’s Curse is both a sweeping history and a forensic diagnosis of the systems that rule us and how they fall apart. This isn’t just about the past; it’s about the trajectory we’re on now. This book offers the clarity we desperately need in an overloaded, accelerating world." —Nate Hagens, host of The Great Simplification
About the Author
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars Outrageously and excitingly educational
I find Luke Kemp's 2025 Goliath's Curse, The History and Future of Societal Collapse, outrageously and excitingly educational and enlightening in many, many ways, certainly including our current oligarchic, christofascist, abrupt climate disruption and peak oil predicament! It explains so very much in great, well-integrated, evidence-based, biological evolution and historical depth. It answers many important questions concerning where we came from and where we find ourselves headed.
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing - echoes of Graeber and Mormon but with immediacy and clarity!
Amazing book, in the tradition of David Graeber and David Wengrow - but clearer and easier to read. Luke Kemp has identified the repetitive patterns of history, and bravely calls out the world we are living in, daring to name our "state" and "civilization" for what it is: a Goliath.I wonder if Luke has read the Book of Mormon (the original, not the bastardized LDS version), whose central theme is: "Thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not esteem one flesh above another, or one man shall not think himself aboveanother; therefore I say unto you it is not expedient that ye should have a king." The book demonstrates through the rise and fall of a number of societies the same patterns Luke Kemp identifies.The more I question my traditional history, political, and economic textbooks, and start to look at the world through open eyes, I'm saddened and afraid at what I see. Good work Luke, stay safe!
4.0 out of 5 stars This book defines the six extinction boundaries which Global Warming is only one
This book shows us that dominance hierarchies have been the way of the world since the first farm The result has been that 99% of the population has suffered as legal slaves or poverty serfsIt also shows that these empires are ruthlessly extractive of resources heading us to a global catastropheUnfortunately his solutions have no chance of ever being implemented
5.0 out of 5 stars What is a Golaith? Why do they succeed or fail? Read this book!
This book is amazingly good. It will change your view of civilization
5.0 out of 5 stars "collapse" is a bout hope for a friendlier future
I will definitely teach this book in my classrooms. A much needed people's history of how civilizations collapse and what we can learn from the past collapse ... spoiler alert, "collapse" is not what you think it is.
3.0 out of 5 stars Great book horrible narration.
A good book but because the narrator is so bad I have to buy the Kindle book to read it. I have no way I can possibly listen to him hiss his sibilants and mispronounce words and names to the extent I can't figure out who or what he is talking about. This is by far the worse narration of any major book I have bought on Audible and I have purchased several hundred of them. Was it pride or arrogance or a silly editor that had him read his own excellent book?Maybe I am too critical. I suggest you do what I didn't do and that is listen to an example before you buy this book.
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
This book examines the rise and fall of 440 societies across five millennia. Using a vast dataset, it identifies common causes of societal collapse, offering insights into building a more resilient and equitable future. The book is fascinating, engaging, and easy to read.Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
1.0 out of 5 stars How could so many pages offer so little that's new?
Holy cow!Maybe this will be interesting for a person who has never thought much about the subject. There are lots of bits of little known facts about history, but I saw little that hasn't already been addressed in more depth from other resources.Here is the key to this book. Lots of places have collapsed throughout history. Collapse doesn't mean the obliteration everything, but is more of a point of transition.In the beginning, there is a lot of speculative prehistory history. Later, there is speculation about future threats from topics that are widely known.It closes with wishy-washy speculation that maybe we'll end the world, but then maybe we won't.It's final point is that if you want to have a chance in saving the world, you should join a certain political party.My mistake for buying it. I thought it was going to be the result of research showing common threads of collapse and revival. Not really.There are much better works on individual threats to the world (nuclear arms, pandemic, declining birthrates, etc.)The solutions have been blathered about by political think tanks, activists, and politicians for years.
Superb, fantastic book
Reading this book is a revelation indeed. From prehistoric times to present day the author describes (with a comprehensive reference list) how states/social groups have developed - and perished - and the reasons. The similarities with today’s non-egalitarian societies is a wake-up call for us all.Highly recommended.
A different perspective on human history, well written and in depth but eminently readable
Very well written.Its somewhat heavy going if your not used to history books.I love the pseudo psychological/political/historically factual mix of the delivery. (Im an engineer so love hearing different views on things). I am always intrigued by stories of armagadden and fatalism... I love the terminator movies (sorry!) for the deeper story meanings and this is a factual delivery of the evolution of the human race and how we got here... ive only got as far as the romans (about 1/4 way thru) but its very well written and I struggle to put it down once I get going.
The lie of civilisation.
Makes connections between aspects of society I had never allowed for. Excellent. I fully agree with the assessment of early hunter gatherers as focused on day to day living and not one ego or empire building , unless there was something wrong with you which pressured the group to deal with you. Tracing the threads of human activitiesand motivations through developing cultures made a 'good read', as good as a 'who-dunnit?' I have a little more left to read. When I come to the end I will feel the lack of the mental stimulation and recasting of so many earlierassumptions I'd grown up with.
"What have the Romans ever done for us?"
The eminent Historian Mary Beard quipped: They kept generations of Historians busy to answer the question why the Roman Empire fell.Goliath' Curse deals with the demise of large social groups, City-States, States, Empires. Why do they fall and what happens after the fall.The Author has researched a vast amount of scientific findings. Starting with the early cultures of Mesopotamia, the great collapse in the eastern Mediterranen in the late Bronze Age, the Fall of the Roman Empire, the disappearance of the city-states of Mesoamerica.From these findings he distills a list of root causes such as.- Concentration of wealth and political power- Monopolizing of weapons- Restriction of Movement- Overbearing Dominance Hierarchies- Overuse of resources- Dependency on critical materials- Climate Changeto name a few.Unfortunately a large part of the book deals with possible futures. This part is necessary, but wee to long.Quite interesting read, but to long and to much repetitions.
Leviathan Re-Imagined
This is an ambitious, comprehensive and competent book that is worth reading, albeit with a critical eye.It examines human history, in the form of communities, states and empires over 300,000 years looking at patterns that may explain their rise and fall, and how this could inform us about our contemporary macrosocial arrangements.It is at its best as a critique of Hobbes’ hugely influential Leviathan. Kemp observes that before the rise of hierarchical societies (which he terms Goliaths) human life was generally peaceful, social and healthy and presents a mass of anthropological, archaeological and historical evidence, showing that Hobbes’ claims about the ‘state of nature’ are misplaced.Kemp then leads you through the history of hierarchical organisation. The general theme is that as violence gave way (in part) to administration as a means of control, Goliaths learned to get larger, but all eventually fail when inequality grows as elites extract too much wealth from their populace. It’s a persuasive argument, but altogether too neat. It can be compared (for example) to David Montgomery’s equally compelling (and neat) history identifying soil erosion (and more broadly resource degradation) as the primary reason civilisations fail. Both have their point.Kemp describes our current situation as a ‘Global Goliath’ giving way to a ‘Silicon Goliath’. This doesn’t feel right. We have multiple super-powerful states, multiple super-powerful corporations and multiple super-powerful financial markets, all simultaneously competing, cooperating and colluding while in thrall to the forces of capitalism and consumerism. The net effect is both inequality and resource degradation but in a real sense, no-one is in charge and no-one has sufficient global reach to provide governance. There is no ‘Global Goliath’. The ‘Silicon Goliath’ is an even less convincing sop to AI hype (although some of Kemps’ warnings are apposite).This clumsy attempt to map the ‘Goliath’ metaphor onto modernity is one reason why the author’s proposed remedies for our current predicament are not wholly convincing. A second is that his remedy feels a little smug – just do as I do (he is a member of the very comfortable global academic elite), and all will be fine.For all this it is still worth persevering. Kemp presents many acute insights and writes well. And he brings a risk management perspective to understanding the current threats he enumerates, which adds a jarring urgency that science lacks (read what The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries has to say about climate change if you want a few sleepless nights).Goliath’s Curse is an impressive book and well worth reading. It presents a big picture (but not the whole picture) of how humanity’s attempts to organize itself always contain the seeds of their own unravelling.
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Goliath's Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse
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Visit the Knopf Store
Goliath's Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse
AED24662
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
This item qualifies for free delivery
Imported From: United States
At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.
BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.
Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.
While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.
Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
Description:
Editorial Reviews
Review
“In sparkling prose, Kemp carries us through thousands of years of history to demonstrate how civilizations rise and fall and rise and fall. I was transfixed. . . . It feels to me that American democracy is currently undergoing the most profound stress test in its history and Kemp has expertly diagnosed why that is.” —Andrew Ervin, Literary Hub
"Learned, provocative and deeply unsettling. . . . Exceptionally powerful, undeniably impressive." —Andrew Lynch, Irish Times
"An invigorating look at big picture history across continents and millennia, and a survival manual to boot." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“[A] brilliant and unnerving debut. . . . Pointing to modern elites’ failure to address climate change, Kemp offers a Cassandra-like warning about the path today’s oligarchs have set. It adds up to a sweeping and dire vision of a world on the brink.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The lessons [Kemp] has drawn are often striking." —Damian Carrington, The Guardian
"A comprehensive overview of societal collapse, based on the analysis of dozens of cases spanning thousands of years from the Paleolithic to today. Highly recommended." —Peter Turchin, author of End Times
"A deeply sobering and strangely inspiring history of how societies collapse—and how we can still save ours. Read it now, or your descendants will find it in the ruins." —Johann Hari, author of Stolen Focus
"Anyone who doubts the importance of this conversation hasn't been paying attention—the spectacle of the world's richest man seizing chaotic control of the world's most powerful nation underscores the author's points about the corrosive effects of grotesque inequity. It's clearly past time that we figured out how to build down the scale of our societies, in interesting but urgent ways." —Bill McKibben, author of Here Comes The Sun
“This is the book on societal collapse that I had always hoped someone would write. It was worth the wait!” —Walter Scheidel, author of The Great Leveler
"Luke Kemp is a writer and thinker of great talent and probity, and Goliath’s Curse is an important, clarifying, and most of all timely contribution to our age of anxiety." —Gideon Lewis-Kraus, staff writer at the New Yorker
“Citing Hobbes’s Delusion, Goliath’s Curse, and cobalt miners in the Congo, renowned existential risk specialist Luke Kemp looks both back into history and forward into the future, spelling out the dangers that we currently face and suggesting ways in which we might avoid the pitfalls leading to collapse, before our luck runs out. This is a brilliant and insightful book, guaranteed to keep you thinking during the day and wide awake with worry during the night.” —Eric Cline, author of 1177 B.C. and After 1177 B.C.
“Absolutely essential reading for understanding why past civilizations collapsed,
and how to protect our own from the same fate.” —Lewis Dartnell, author of The Knowledge
“A fascinating intellectual journey . . . This is a book that should be read—and a message that should be heeded—by anyone interested in achieving lasting human prosperity while preserving our planet.” —Professor Jim Bacchus, former Congressman, founding judge of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and author of Democracy for a Sustainable World
“A profound and mind-expanding book that challenges the existing narratives of societal collapse. Through a long-term lens, Kemp asks us to reconsider histories we thought we knew, a present we take for granted, and future perils we have yet to meet. This is a chillingly enlightening read that will reorient your understanding of the world and how it came to be.” —Richard Fisher, author of The Long View and senior editor at Aeon
"A great book. The history and plausible futures of collapse are set forth with incredible clarity and rigour. The worst outcome is—we hope—probably preventable if we are perceptive enough as a species, and plan enough to persevere against the stupidity and arrogance of the plutocrats in our midst." —Danny Dorling, author of The Next Crisis
"Kemp shows that inequality breeds instability and true resilience lies in the democratisation of power. Important reading for anyone committed to a future beyond empire." —Jason Hickel, author of Less Is More
"In this wide-ranging book Luke Kemp presents a fascinating multi-millenial panorama of how societies have emerged, flourished, but eventually collapsed. He then addresses the lessons this historical record offers for safeguarding humanity’s future, in an era when unprecedented global connectedness and technological advance could engulf our entire civilisation in a terminal catastrophe." —Martin J. Rees, Astronomer Royal and author of Our Final Hour
"With a breathtaking sweep of history, Luke Kemp decodes the operating system of power and its recurring fatal error: the belief that dominance equals resilience. Goliath's Curse reveals how, from the first empires to our digital age, the concentration of power has always been a precursor to collapse. By showing that our most enduring social structures are built not on command, but on collaboration, Kemp offers a profound argument for the power of plurality. An essential read for anyone building the more open, fair, and antifragile world we urgently need." —Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s Cyber Ambassador and founding Minister of Digital Affairs
"Erudite, detailed and urgent. A masterpiece of data-driven collapsology." —Paul Cooper, author of Fall of Civilizations
"A brilliant, utterly convincing account of the evolution of human society and why we are probably reaching humanity's end days." —Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm
"A page-turning masterpiece and a necessary antidote to our age of crisis. If you like Jared Diamond you'll love Goliath's Curse. Compelling and profound." —Roman Krznaric, author of History for Tomorrow and The Good Ancestor
"Goliath’s Curse is both a sweeping history and a forensic diagnosis of the systems that rule us and how they fall apart. This isn’t just about the past; it’s about the trajectory we’re on now. This book offers the clarity we desperately need in an overloaded, accelerating world." —Nate Hagens, host of The Great Simplification
About the Author
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars Outrageously and excitingly educational
I find Luke Kemp's 2025 Goliath's Curse, The History and Future of Societal Collapse, outrageously and excitingly educational and enlightening in many, many ways, certainly including our current oligarchic, christofascist, abrupt climate disruption and peak oil predicament! It explains so very much in great, well-integrated, evidence-based, biological evolution and historical depth. It answers many important questions concerning where we came from and where we find ourselves headed.
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing - echoes of Graeber and Mormon but with immediacy and clarity!
Amazing book, in the tradition of David Graeber and David Wengrow - but clearer and easier to read. Luke Kemp has identified the repetitive patterns of history, and bravely calls out the world we are living in, daring to name our "state" and "civilization" for what it is: a Goliath.I wonder if Luke has read the Book of Mormon (the original, not the bastardized LDS version), whose central theme is: "Thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not esteem one flesh above another, or one man shall not think himself aboveanother; therefore I say unto you it is not expedient that ye should have a king." The book demonstrates through the rise and fall of a number of societies the same patterns Luke Kemp identifies.The more I question my traditional history, political, and economic textbooks, and start to look at the world through open eyes, I'm saddened and afraid at what I see. Good work Luke, stay safe!
4.0 out of 5 stars This book defines the six extinction boundaries which Global Warming is only one
This book shows us that dominance hierarchies have been the way of the world since the first farm The result has been that 99% of the population has suffered as legal slaves or poverty serfsIt also shows that these empires are ruthlessly extractive of resources heading us to a global catastropheUnfortunately his solutions have no chance of ever being implemented
5.0 out of 5 stars What is a Golaith? Why do they succeed or fail? Read this book!
This book is amazingly good. It will change your view of civilization
5.0 out of 5 stars "collapse" is a bout hope for a friendlier future
I will definitely teach this book in my classrooms. A much needed people's history of how civilizations collapse and what we can learn from the past collapse ... spoiler alert, "collapse" is not what you think it is.
3.0 out of 5 stars Great book horrible narration.
A good book but because the narrator is so bad I have to buy the Kindle book to read it. I have no way I can possibly listen to him hiss his sibilants and mispronounce words and names to the extent I can't figure out who or what he is talking about. This is by far the worse narration of any major book I have bought on Audible and I have purchased several hundred of them. Was it pride or arrogance or a silly editor that had him read his own excellent book?Maybe I am too critical. I suggest you do what I didn't do and that is listen to an example before you buy this book.
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
This book examines the rise and fall of 440 societies across five millennia. Using a vast dataset, it identifies common causes of societal collapse, offering insights into building a more resilient and equitable future. The book is fascinating, engaging, and easy to read.Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
1.0 out of 5 stars How could so many pages offer so little that's new?
Holy cow!Maybe this will be interesting for a person who has never thought much about the subject. There are lots of bits of little known facts about history, but I saw little that hasn't already been addressed in more depth from other resources.Here is the key to this book. Lots of places have collapsed throughout history. Collapse doesn't mean the obliteration everything, but is more of a point of transition.In the beginning, there is a lot of speculative prehistory history. Later, there is speculation about future threats from topics that are widely known.It closes with wishy-washy speculation that maybe we'll end the world, but then maybe we won't.It's final point is that if you want to have a chance in saving the world, you should join a certain political party.My mistake for buying it. I thought it was going to be the result of research showing common threads of collapse and revival. Not really.There are much better works on individual threats to the world (nuclear arms, pandemic, declining birthrates, etc.)The solutions have been blathered about by political think tanks, activists, and politicians for years.
Superb, fantastic book
Reading this book is a revelation indeed. From prehistoric times to present day the author describes (with a comprehensive reference list) how states/social groups have developed - and perished - and the reasons. The similarities with today’s non-egalitarian societies is a wake-up call for us all.Highly recommended.
A different perspective on human history, well written and in depth but eminently readable
Very well written.Its somewhat heavy going if your not used to history books.I love the pseudo psychological/political/historically factual mix of the delivery. (Im an engineer so love hearing different views on things). I am always intrigued by stories of armagadden and fatalism... I love the terminator movies (sorry!) for the deeper story meanings and this is a factual delivery of the evolution of the human race and how we got here... ive only got as far as the romans (about 1/4 way thru) but its very well written and I struggle to put it down once I get going.
The lie of civilisation.
Makes connections between aspects of society I had never allowed for. Excellent. I fully agree with the assessment of early hunter gatherers as focused on day to day living and not one ego or empire building , unless there was something wrong with you which pressured the group to deal with you. Tracing the threads of human activitiesand motivations through developing cultures made a 'good read', as good as a 'who-dunnit?' I have a little more left to read. When I come to the end I will feel the lack of the mental stimulation and recasting of so many earlierassumptions I'd grown up with.
"What have the Romans ever done for us?"
The eminent Historian Mary Beard quipped: They kept generations of Historians busy to answer the question why the Roman Empire fell.Goliath' Curse deals with the demise of large social groups, City-States, States, Empires. Why do they fall and what happens after the fall.The Author has researched a vast amount of scientific findings. Starting with the early cultures of Mesopotamia, the great collapse in the eastern Mediterranen in the late Bronze Age, the Fall of the Roman Empire, the disappearance of the city-states of Mesoamerica.From these findings he distills a list of root causes such as.- Concentration of wealth and political power- Monopolizing of weapons- Restriction of Movement- Overbearing Dominance Hierarchies- Overuse of resources- Dependency on critical materials- Climate Changeto name a few.Unfortunately a large part of the book deals with possible futures. This part is necessary, but wee to long.Quite interesting read, but to long and to much repetitions.
Leviathan Re-Imagined
This is an ambitious, comprehensive and competent book that is worth reading, albeit with a critical eye.It examines human history, in the form of communities, states and empires over 300,000 years looking at patterns that may explain their rise and fall, and how this could inform us about our contemporary macrosocial arrangements.It is at its best as a critique of Hobbes’ hugely influential Leviathan. Kemp observes that before the rise of hierarchical societies (which he terms Goliaths) human life was generally peaceful, social and healthy and presents a mass of anthropological, archaeological and historical evidence, showing that Hobbes’ claims about the ‘state of nature’ are misplaced.Kemp then leads you through the history of hierarchical organisation. The general theme is that as violence gave way (in part) to administration as a means of control, Goliaths learned to get larger, but all eventually fail when inequality grows as elites extract too much wealth from their populace. It’s a persuasive argument, but altogether too neat. It can be compared (for example) to David Montgomery’s equally compelling (and neat) history identifying soil erosion (and more broadly resource degradation) as the primary reason civilisations fail. Both have their point.Kemp describes our current situation as a ‘Global Goliath’ giving way to a ‘Silicon Goliath’. This doesn’t feel right. We have multiple super-powerful states, multiple super-powerful corporations and multiple super-powerful financial markets, all simultaneously competing, cooperating and colluding while in thrall to the forces of capitalism and consumerism. The net effect is both inequality and resource degradation but in a real sense, no-one is in charge and no-one has sufficient global reach to provide governance. There is no ‘Global Goliath’. The ‘Silicon Goliath’ is an even less convincing sop to AI hype (although some of Kemps’ warnings are apposite).This clumsy attempt to map the ‘Goliath’ metaphor onto modernity is one reason why the author’s proposed remedies for our current predicament are not wholly convincing. A second is that his remedy feels a little smug – just do as I do (he is a member of the very comfortable global academic elite), and all will be fine.For all this it is still worth persevering. Kemp presents many acute insights and writes well. And he brings a risk management perspective to understanding the current threats he enumerates, which adds a jarring urgency that science lacks (read what The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries has to say about climate change if you want a few sleepless nights).Goliath’s Curse is an impressive book and well worth reading. It presents a big picture (but not the whole picture) of how humanity’s attempts to organize itself always contain the seeds of their own unravelling.
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