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Collapse:  How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

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Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

by Diamond, Jared

  • Used
  • Fine
  • Hardcover
  • first
Condition
Fine/Fine
ISBN 10
0670033375
ISBN 13
9780670033379
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About This Item

New York: Viking, 2005 WYSIWYG pricing--no added shipping charge for standard shipping within USA. Grey boards, black spine with copper titles, xv, 575, [1] pp, 12 ff b & w photo plates, 11 maps, bibliography, index. DJ in Brodart archival cover. "In...Guns, Germs and Steel, Jared Diamond examined how and why Western civilizations developed the technologies and immunities that allowed them to dominate much of the world. Now, Diamond probes the other side of the equation: What caused some of the great civilizations of the past to collapse into ruin, and what can we learn from their fates?" Shipping weight 3 lbs.. First Edition. . Fine/Fine. 24 X 16 cm.

Synopsis

Diamond identifies five factors that contribute to collapse: climate change, hostile neighbors, collapse of essential trading partners, environmental problems, and failure to adapt to environmental issues. He also lists 12 environmental problems facing mankind today. The first eight have historically contributed to the collapse of past societies: Deforestation and habitat destruction Soil problems (erosion, salinization, and soil fertility losses) Water management problems Overhunting Overfishing Effects of introduced species on native species Overpopulation Increased per-capita impact of people Further, he says four new factors may contribute to the weakening and collapse of present and future societies: Anthropogenic climate change Buildup of toxins in the environment Energy shortages Full human utilization of the Earth’s photosynthetic capacity Diamond also writes about cultural factors, such as the apparent reluctance of the Greenland Norse to eat fish. The root problem in all but one of Diamond's factors leading to collapse is overpopulation relative to the practicable (as opposed to the ideal theoretical) carrying capacity of the environment. The one factor not related to overpopulation is the harmful effect of accidentally or intentionally introducing nonnative species to a region. Diamond also states that "it would be absurd to claim that environmental damage must be a major factor in all collapses: the collapse of the Soviet Union is a modern counter-example, and the destruction of Carthage by Rome in 146 BC is an ancient one. It's obviously true that military or economic factors alone may suffice" (p. 15). Societal collapse Wavefunction collapse Collapse (Album), an album by the American metalcore band Across Five Aprils Collapse (medical) Collapse (structural) Collapse of the Soviet Union, the collapse of Soviet federalism Cave-in is a kind of structural collapse Collapse, the action a collapsible or telescoping object does Collapse (book) by Jared M.

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Details

Bookseller
Twin City Antiquarian Books US (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #
SSHE00004
Title
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
Author
Diamond, Jared
Format/Binding
Hardcover
Book Condition
Used - Fine
Jacket Condition
Fine
Edition
First Edition
ISBN 10
0670033375
ISBN 13
9780670033379
Publisher
Viking
Place of Publication
New York
Date Published
2005
Keywords
Human Ecology Environment
Bookseller catalogs
Sociology;
X weight
48 oz
Size
24 X 16 cm

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Twin City Antiquarian Books

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About the Seller

Twin City Antiquarian Books

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio member since 2005
Minneapolis, Minnesota

About Twin City Antiquarian Books

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