Verified Document

Civilization We Live In Is Term Paper

This was a natural consequence of the fact that the specialization of labor determined a larger quantity of products being made and of better quality. This is seen as the first revolution, the predecessor of events such as the industrial revolution of the 18th century or the informational one in the 20th century. The specialization of work offered the producers the possibility to exchange goods and to create the first good markets. In turn this led to an equal distribution of the profit because some of the goods traded had a higher or lower value on the respective market. This trend can also characterize today's civilized world. In this sense, despite the fact that we live in a world that is fully mechanized and one which benefits from the latest technological developments, the distribution of wealth is not equal, an element which determines the current state of poverty in most African countries. One element that would explain this state of fact is the value of the goods traded or purchased from Africa. In this sense, the money value of certain products produced in Africa is inferior thus they are forced to produce more to ensure their means of existence. At the same time, producers tend to exploit their employees in order to achieve profit; from this point-of-view, the issue of inequality is obvious.

One of the most eloquent examples of the social inequality of ancient civilizations but at the same time one of the most remarkable sources for human development is the Mesopotamian civilization, developed between the Tigris and the Euphrates in today's Middle East region. Despite the fact that it is often considered to be a unitary civilization, in fact, the Mesopotamian culture is formed by three distinctive elements of civilization. More precisely, one can distinguish between the Sumerian civilization along the Persian Gulf, the Acadians in the center of the region, and the Assyrians in the north.

The creators of the Mesopotamian civilizations are however, considered to be the Sumerians. As part of their culture, they were the founders of Uruk, one of the first architectural creations of the civilized world. At the same time, the Mesopotamians are one of the first people to have established city states along the rivers (Berstein and milza, 1994). This economic development was possible due to the impressive natural resources and especially due to the fact that most city states were created on the banks of the rivers which represented a true source of life for the population. However, the actual development of the civilization is visible in the way in which the population was able to exploit these natural resources and establish a functional economic system. This was characterized by a stable state system. More precisely, the territory was considered the property of the king, while the workers were servant slaves in the service of the god of the temple ruling the city state. Therefore, it can be pointed out the fact that religion played a significant role in the rule of the community. Moreover, priests represented a distinctive class in the society, superior to regular people because of the strong reliance on natural benefits and the fear for natural disasters (Berstein and Milza, 1994).

The form of government of the Mesopotamian and the Sumerian population in particular was strictly related to the king in power. Therefore, the king had the possibility to decide over the life and death of its subjects. Such a situation was common especially in times of war, as the reign of Urukagina showed. He was one of the last kings to lead his people against foreign enemies, until the demise of the Sumerian state at the hands of the Acadian state.

From a religious point-of-view, Sumerians were deeply committed to the worshiping of gods, and the existence of temples. The number of the latter was considerable as they represented the means through which a king would repay the god for its mercy. In such occasions, he would offer slaves and other goods as sacrifices for better crops and results.

In terms of culture, the Mesopotamian civilization is one of the first sources of philosophical thought. Despite the fact that there are no visible elements of a clearly stated cultural identity, in terms of philosophy, there are certain existentialist myths that try to answer the questions related to the creation of the world. One such belief concluded that the beginning of the world relied in water and a certain spirit that existed before anything else which guided the evolution of the human...

This approach is explicable taking into account the way in which they perceived the rivers surrounding them, as the core essence of their lives.
The Egyptian civilization is yet another example of the way in which human kind slowly but constantly evolved. However, by comparison to the Mesopotamian civilization, it took a different direction in its evolution. In this sense, the geographical situation determined a certain sense of isolation because of the desert, the sea, and the mountains that delimitated the Egyptian civilization from the rest, including Sumer. Therefore, the civilization of Egypt developed separately into a flourishing new culture.

The political organization included the pharaoh, considered to be a living god for its subjects and the embodiment of perfection. The administrative part of the state was conducted by scribes, the cornerstone of the administrative apparatus. The society in general was made up of small agrarian communities, led by the elderly who had administrative, fiscal, and judiciary attributions. An important element of the society was however slavery. Unlike other parts of the antique world, they were not totally limited in their rights, and were in general war prisoners. However, slavery was also a method used to pay depts. The owners had the right to sell or rent them, but also they could be freed by their master.

The culture of ancient Egypt was one of the most important of the early periods of civilization. Painting, music, and even architecture were considered to have a sacred meaning for the society and dedicated a lot of attention to such endeavors. This is one of the reasons for which the Egyptian art is precious for posterity.

One of the most important periods of the ancient world is represented by the Greek state, rightfully considered to be the cradle of democracy. The geographical position as well as the natural resources determined Greeks to excel in sailing and thus develop a civilization based on sea wars and confrontations. One of the most notable eras in the history of the Greek polis was the Mycenaean era which determined a great development in terms of territorial conquests such as Argos, Phylos, Athens, and Thebe. These territorial developments gave rise to a series of evolutions in terms of social fragmentation between the craftsmen, the peasants, and the slaves. At the top of the social ladder however, the philosophers and the military were considered to have the greatest importance in the society (Berstein and Milza, 1994). As a result, a certain sense of superiority was developed inside the community, one which considered the philosophers and the poets to represent a particular strata inside the society. This is one of the reasons for which the Greek writer Homer is viewed as one of the most important figures of ancient Greece.

At the same time, due to the increase influence Greece came to have in the region as one of the most important trading partners and an essential producer of olive oil, wine, and spices, the cult for a special place in history for Greece developed. In this sense, it came to be identified with important elements such as the art of rhetoric or of the tragedies that were very fashionable the time. From this point-of-view, Greece represented a source for cultural creation.

As part of the philosophical writings, Plato and Aristotle have had an important contribution. In this sense, they both sought the best means to govern a city state, considering that neither of the available mechanisms served the city as a whole. More precisely, democracy was seen as useless because it would have allowed the population, even the ignorant one, to decide on the matters of the city. At the same time, the oligarchic system was unacceptable because it would have implied the rule of the rich in their own interest. Monarchy was as well considered not entirely satisfying, but a useful solution as opposed to the tyrannical rule (Braunstein and Pepin, 1998).

Despite the fact that Greece was seen as a cultural unitary construction, there were several aspects that broke this sensitive unity. In this sense, the conflict between Sparta and Athens is eloquent. In the beginning, despite the fact that they were rival states, they united against a common enemy during the Persian Wars against the Persian Empire. Following the defeat of the Persians, the differences between the two sides became visible. Thus, while the Spartans were famous for their army, the Athenians…

Sources used in this document:
Bibliography

Berstein, Serge, and Milza. Pierre. Histoire de l'Europe. Paris: Hatier, 1994.

Braunstein, Florence, and Pepin, Jean Francois. Les Grandes Doctrines. Paris: Ellipses, 1998.

Mumford, Lewis. The transformations of man. New York: Collier Books, 1966.

Myers, Van Ness. Ancient History, Revised Edition. Boston: Ginn and Company, 1904, pp. 1-12. Available online at http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Sciences/Lifescience/PhysicalAnthropology/PrehistoricTimes/PrehistoricTimes.htm
Stanford University. "Homo erectus." Human evolution. N.d. 11 March 2008. http://www.stanford.edu/~harryg/protected/chp22.htm
Washington State University. "Homo habilis: The "handy man." Long Foregone website. N.d. 11 March 2008. http://www.wsu.edu/gened/learn-modules/top_longfor/timeline/habilis/habilis-b.html
Watkins, Jeffrey. Neolithic Revolution. 2003. 11 March 2008. http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/change/neo.cfm
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Civilization or Brutalism Capital Punishment in North
Words: 1213 Length: 4 Document Type: Thesis

Civilization or Brutalism? Capital Punishment in North Carolina The threat of capital punishment has stood the test of time as the ultimate solution for any civilization to treat its unwanted criminals and enemies. As societies became more progressive, the form in which capital punishment took progressed as well, from poisons, nooses, electric shocks, firing squads, or even the good old axe to the neck, to modern chemicals whose sole intent is to

Civilizations in the Amazon Until
Words: 667 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

The roads connected two hierarchical clusters of towns and villages, each with a ceremonial center and satellite towns, precisely oriented in terms of the center. According to the author, it is likely that the towns held 1,000 or even more citizens. In total, Heckenberger notes that the total regional population could have been some 30,000 to 50,000 inhabitants. However, the number is difficult to determine accurately, as a large

Civilization Egypt and Mesopotamia Define
Words: 684 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

In Mesopotamia, the gods were actively involved in the doings of this world, but not in a way that was just or equitable -- the gods had no special moral attributes, merely greater power than humans. The lack of harmony in the natural world of Mesopotamia was also reflected in the disparate nature of Mesopotamian government, which was full of small city-states, with no cohesive national ruler. Egypt's pharaohs reigned

Civilization and Barbarism the Path
Words: 1804 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

For most the idea was the anonymous nature of the village, and how easy it was for anyone to commit an atrocity against another, if given the official sanction to do so. Stanley Edgar Hyman believed that the nature and purpose of his wife's work were misunderstood because her "fierce visions of dissociation and madness, of alienation and withdrawal, of cruelty and terror" were interpreted as "personal, even neurotic, fantasies."

Civilization of the High Middle Ages
Words: 2522 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

Civilization in the High Middle Ages It is said that the University of Oxford was not created, that rather it emerged. Universities in general, and the University of Oxford in particular, are among one of the many contributions of Medieval civilization to the present day. The University of Oxford was not the earliest university in the world - Paris and Bologna were founded before it - but it is the oldest

Civilization Vs. Wilderness: Prominent Literary Theme
Words: 2235 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

Civilization and the Wilderness -- Early American Literature The collision of society against the wilderness in the early stages of the development of America was used often as a theme in early American literature. As "civilization" arrived in the New World and immediately encroached upon the natural world and the Native Americans who thrived in that New World there were stories to be told to reflect the conflicts and relationships that

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now