Marxist analysis of Jared Diamond GGS and Collapse

[ichneumon]

I'm looking for a Marxist analysis of either of these, or anyone who as read them and cares to discuss.

[harris0]

I love this book. GGS is probably the most informative book I've ever read.

That said, can't we just experience the world directly...without having to interpet it through clunky dogma and ideology?

[ichneumon]

of course, i'm just curious.

[Severian]

A past thread on Guns, Germs, and Steel:
link (http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php?showtopic=55729)

I haven't read "Collapse." Have you? Do you have any comments on it?

[colonelguppy]

just started reading collapse, i couldn't really give you a marxist interpretation, although i could probably guess what they would say.

[mikelepore]

Jared Diamond provides further evidence in favor of the materialist conception of history. He realizes that history is directional, and that material factors drive it. Karl Marx and Lewis Henry Morgan emphasized development of the tools of production. Jared Diamond emphasizes geography. Other authors discuss asteroids and ice ages and other geological events. The main point here is: human history isn't mainly moved forward by the fact that people just happen to have certain ideas at certain times, for no apparent reason. Our ideas are reflexes of physical reality. This realization itself promotes progress, because it implies that, if we wish to establish a society of improved human behaviors, the best way is to provide the foundation for it by a carefully choice of the material institutions into which future generations of people will be born. Instead of preaching about harmony and cooperation, we need to design harmony and cooperation into the structure of the economic institutions.

[Severian]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11, 2006 05:04 am
Jared Diamond provides further evidence in favor of the materialist conception of history. He realizes that history is directional, and that material factors drive it. Karl Marx and Lewis Henry Morgan emphasized development of the tools of production. Jared Diamond emphasizes geography.
Right, and really Diamond is emphasizing the tools of production too. How geography and biogeography affect the development and spread of new tools.

Some of the most important tools are seeds and livestock. The development of agriculture was the biggest jump in the productivity of labor, ever. Until recently, animal muscle was the main source of energy most people had, beyond their own muscles.

So what plants and animals were available for domestication, and how they spread, was a huge factor in the development of the means of production.