Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Societies as organized power networks; 2. The end of general social evolution: how prehistoric peoples evaded power; 3. The emergence of stratification, states, and multi-power-actor civilisation in Mesopotamia; 4. A comparative analysis of the emergence of stratification, states, and multi-power-actor civilisations; 5. The first empires of domination: the dialectics of compulsory cooperation; 6. 'Indo-Europeans' and iron: expanding, diversified power networks; 7. Phoenicians and Greeks: decentralized multi-power-actor civilisations; 8. Revitalized empires of domination: Assyria and Persia; 9. The Roman territorial empire; 10. Ideology transcendent: the Christian ecumene; 11. A comparative excursus into the world religions: Confucianism, Islam, and (especially) Hindu caste; 12. The European dynamic: I. The intensive phase, A. D. 800–1155; 13. The European dynamics: II. The rise of coordinating states, 1155–1477; 14. The European dynamic: III. International capitalism and organic national states, 1477–1760; 15. European conclusions: explaining European dynamism - capitalism, Christendom, and states; 16. Patterns of world-historical development in agrarian societies; Index.

Promotional Information

This book is the first part of a three-volume work on the nature of power in human societies.

Reviews

' ... an impressively learned, wise and judicious study. It is a major work - perhaps a great work - and will be a landmark, for sure.' William H. McNeill, Professor Emeritus, University of Chicago ' ... a very considerable accomplishment. There is no doubt in my mind that the book is an important contribution to comparative sociology.' Anthony Giddens, King's College, Cambridge