Goliath's Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse

Join us for our online book club discussion of Goliath's Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse, by Luke Kemp.

Assigned reading for this week: The Introduction, Chapter 1 - Hobbes's Delusion. and Chapter 2 - Collapse for 99 percent of Human History. Please Note: Completion of the assigned reading is a prerequisite for attending. If you did not have the chance to do the reading, please join us another time.

What's this book about?
Goliath's Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse is a 2025 non-fiction book by Cambridge scholar Luke Kemp that analyzes why large, hierarchical societies ("Goliaths") repeatedly collapse throughout history, from ancient civilizations to modern states. Kemp argues that these societies contain the seeds of their own destruction and that more democratic systems tend to be more resilient, suggesting that collapse can sometimes benefit the general population more than the elite. The book draws on archaeology, anthropology, and historical data to explore the fragility of complex societies and the potential for future collapse, including our own.
Key themes and arguments:

• The "Goliath":
  A term for large, hierarchical societies built on domination and control, which are inherently fragile.
• Seeds of demise:
  The very structures that make Goliaths powerful (hierarchy, resource control) also lead to their downfall.
• Resilience:
  More democratic societies have historically proven to be more resilient to collapse.
• Collapse outcomes:
  Collapse often has a more positive outcome for the general population than for the ruling elite.
• Modern relevance:
  The book applies these historical lessons to our current global society, suggesting a collapse could be long-lasting and that we may already be in one.

About the author
LUKE KEMP is a research affiliate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at the University of Cambridge. He has lectured in the fields of economics and human geography, and has advised the World Health Organization, the Australian Parliament, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and many other institutions. His research has been covered by media outlets such as The New York Times, the BBC, and The New Yorker.

How this book club works.
Our book discussion will be spread out over several consecutive weeks, with two-hour meetings every Tuesday evening. This gives us time to explore the readings with the depth and care they deserve. Please bring your own thought-provoking questions and insights from the reading to share with the group. We like lively discussions that challenge our own ideas and those of the author and allow us to learn from each other -- while enjoying camaraderie! All we ask is that everyone be treated as co-equals, both in respect and approximate speaking time. Feel free to post (in the Comments below) any additional resources you find -- including ones that challenge the author. We hope to see you at our Tuesday meetings!