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A survey of complex (post-hunter-gatherer, hierarchical) societies and their collapse, and the various theories proposed to account for collapse. The author develops his own theory based on the increasing cost of managing complexity that acheives decreasing marginal benefits.
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1
The collapse of complex societies.
1990, Cambridge University Press
in English
052138673X 9780521386739
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2 |
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3
The collapse of complex societies
1988, Cambridge University Press
Hardback
in English
0521340926 9780521340922
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Book Details
Table of Contents
Figures
Page xi
Tables
Page xii
Acknowledgements
Page xiii
1.
Introduction to collapse
Page 1
What is collapse?
Page 4
Collapse in history
Page 5
After collapse
Page 18
2.
The nature of complex societies
Page 22
Introduction
Page 39
What collapses? More on definitions
Page 39
Classification of theories
Page 42
Framework of discussion
Page 43
Resource depletion
Page 44
New resources
Page 51
Catastrophes
Page 52
Insufficient response to circumstances
Page 54
Other complex societies
Page 61
Intruders
Page 61
Conflict/contradictions/mismanagment
Page 64
Social dysfunction
Page 73
Mystical factors
Page 74
Chance concatenation of events
Page 86
Economic explanations
Page 86
Summary and discussion
Page 86
4.
Understanding collapse: the marginal productivity of sociopolitical change
Page 91
The marginal productivity of increasing complexity
Page 93
Explaning declineing marginal returns in complex societies
Page 109
Explaining collapse
Page 118
Alternatives to collapse
Page 123
5.
Evaluation: complexity and marginal returns in collapsing societies
Page 127
The colapse of the Western Roman Empire
Page 128
The Classic Maya collapse
Page 152
The Chacoan collapse
Page 178
Evaluation
Page 187
Conclusions
Page 191
6.
Summary and implications
Page 193
References
Page 217
Index
Page 243
Edition Notes
Bibliography: p. 217-242.
Includes index.
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