Main ThemesEnvironmentally Specialized SocietiesFishing SocietiesMaritime SocietiesHerding SocietiesSoci111 – Human SocietiesModule 12 – Environmentally Specialized SocietiesFrançois NielsenUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillOctober 21, 2014OutlineMain ThemesEnvironmentally Specialized SocietiesFishing SocietiesMaritime SocietiesHerding SocietiesMain ThemesThis module is about three types of environmentallyspecialized societiesIfishing societiesImaritime societiesIherding societiesEnvironmentally Specialized SocietiesSpecialized Societies Within Ecological-Evolutionary TypologyEnvironmentally Specialized SocietiesSpecialized Societies Within Ecological-Evolutionary TypologyFishing, maritime, and herding societiesIare specialized to a specific environment, characterizedby eitherIproximity to a large body of water (fishing, maritime)Ian environment too arid for plant cultivation (herding)Iwithin the ecological-evolutionary typology of humansocieties, these societies stand outside (and branch offfrom) the main sequence of socio-cultural evolutionrepresented by H&G → horticultural → agrarian →industrialEnvironmentally Specialized SocietiesFishing SocietiesIe.g. Kwakiutl of British Columbia (home of the potlatch)IFishing societies rarely evolved into more advancedsocieties, becauseIfish population not easily depleted with traditionaltechnologyI→ no need to switch to horticulture (compare withscenario of emergence of horticulture)Iterritory (thin coastal strip) hard to defendI→ fishing society often conquered & absorbed into morepowerful society (horticultural or agrarian)Environmentally Specialized SocietiesMaritime SocietiesMaritime societies throughout history, e.g.IMinoan civilization (Crete 2300–1450 BC)IPhoenicia (Lebanon 1100–146 BC)ICarthage (near Tunis 850–146 BC)IAncient Greece, particularly Athens (1100–338 BC =victory of Philip of Macedony over Athens and Thebes)IVenice (1204–1453 AD = ?)INetherlands (17th–18th c AD)Environmentally Specialized SocietiesMaritime Societies – Republican GovernmentGovernments in maritime societiesItend to be republics = representative system ofgovernmentIrun by oligarchy of wealthy merchants, becauseIsubsistence from commerce → powerful merchant classIsubsistence less dependent on exploitation of peasantsI→ does not generate strong centralized governmentIour own democratic political tradition derived fromclassical Athens, a maritime society!Environmentally Specialized SocietiesHerding Societies – CharacteristicsHerding societiesIe.g. Bedouins of ArabiaIspecialized in herding livestock in relatively aridenvironmentsIlifestyle also called pastoral nomadismIcharacterized byInomadism or semi-nomadismIpolitical expansionsI→ median size of societies (5,750) > size of communities(72)Ipatriarchal tendency (bride-price, patrilocality) becauseIpremium on defense of vulnerable livestock (raiding andwarfare frequent)Icentral role of men in herding subsistenceEnvironmentally Specialized SocietiesHerding Societies – Repeated Pattern of ConquestUse of horses or camelsI→ military advantage over sedentary agrarian societiesI→ pattern of expansion & conquestIAryan invasions of Iran and India (1500–1000 BC)IMongol Empire (Genghis Khan 13th c. AD)IMogul Empire (India 16th–19th c. AD)IManchu Dynasty (China 17th–19th c. AD)IOttoman Empire (Turkey 14th–19th c. AD)IEarly Islam (after 622 AD)Iafter conquest herders become dominant casteIbut keep agrarian mode of productionIbecause surplus from agriculture > surplus fromherdingEnvironmentally Specialized SocietiesHerding Societies – Affinity For MonotheismTable: Belief in High Gods by Type of SocietyType: 1 2 3 4 Total N1-HG 63.4 26.7 5.9 4.0 100.0 1012-SH 60.8 25.5 3.9 9.8 100.0 1023-AH 16.1 60.9 8.9 14.1 100.0 1924-AG 28.7 10.4 2.6 58.3 100.0 1155-FI 62.9 20.0 5.7 11.4 100.0 356-HE 4.8 16.1 6.5 72.6 100.0 62Total 35.4 32.8 5.9 25.9 100.0 607Belief in High Gods: 1 - High gods absent or not reported; 2 - Not active inhuman affairs; 3 - Active in human affairs but not supportive of humanmorality; 4 - Supportive of human moralityEnvironmentally Specialized SocietiesHerding Societies – Affinity For MonotheismIbelief in monotheismincreases with herdingsubsistenceIbecause of patriarchaltendency?Idominant image ofshepherd and his flock?Inote influence onChristian tradition . . .Ibut could also be due todiffusion of IslamEnvironmentally Specialized SocietiesReview QuestionsIQ - Which type of society was most likely to be politicallydominated by