Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies - Jared Diamond

Join us for a discussion of Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond.

Synopsis:

• In this "artful, informative, and delightful" (William H. McNeill, New York Review of Books) book, Jared Diamond convincingly argues that geographical and environmental factors shaped the modern world. Societies that had a head start in food production advanced beyond the hunter-gatherer stage, and then developed writing, technology, government, and organized religion—as well as nasty germs and potent weapons of war—and adventured on sea and land to conquer and decimate preliterate cultures. A major advance in our understanding of human societies, Guns, Germs, and Steel chronicles the way that the modern world came to be and stunningly dismantles racially based theories of human history.
  Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science, the Rhone-Poulenc Prize, and the Commonwealth Club of California's Gold Medal

Discussion Questions (subject to revision):

• Diamond argues that geography and the distribution of domesticable plants and animals largely explain why some societies developed faster than others. How convincing is this explanation of global inequality?
• He writes that germs and diseases shaped conquest as much as weapons or political systems. What does this suggest about the role of chance and environment in shaping history?
• Diamond claims that food surpluses from agriculture allowed specialization, leading to innovations like writing and technology. How important do you think surplus production was compared to other drivers of complexity?
• He suggests that societies with access to steel, guns, and centralized political organization were able to dominate others. To what extent do you think technology versus political structure explains historical conquest?
• Diamond argues that Eurasia’s east–west axis gave it a major advantage in spreading crops, animals, and technologies. How persuasive do you find this claim, and are there examples that challenge it?
• Critics argue that Diamond underplays the role of human agency, politics, and contingency in history. Do you think his environmental determinism leaves out too much?
• What do you see as the most important factor in shaping the world as it is today—geography, culture, leadership, technology, or something else?

Whether you’ve read the whole book or just want to explore some of its central ideas, you’re welcome to join!

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