Summary:
The book explores the relationship between energy capture and social values, arguing that modes of energy extraction—hunting and gathering, farming, and using fossil fuels—have historically shaped human values and social organization. It combines insights from archaeology, history, and evolutionary theory to examine how economic structures and the means of production influence ideas about equality, hierarchy, and democracy throughout different periods in human development.
Key points:
1. Energy Capture and Values: Morris claims that how societies get energy (foraging, farming, fossil fuels) shapes their values and social organization, with foragers being egalitarian, farmers hierarchical, and industrial societies valuing individualism and democracy.
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