The institutions of society differ over time in reference
with the size and complexity of that society. A small, nomadic band of primitive
hunter-gatherers would have an egalitarian society where all members are equal and all
have an equal say. As this band becomes larger, more people join it, until it becomes a
tribe, not everyone can have an equal say. As a society becomes larger, there needs to
be a leader that has the people’s best interests at heart. A small society might merely
want to survive in seclusion from others, but a large civilization wants to expand their
territory. When a society wonders about its existence, a centralized religion to come
about is natural. A society then becomes a theocracy, and the leaders can use the
religion as a tool to control the population and force other people to comply with them,
like the European conquerors. Conquering other nations is an activity that Europeans
loved to do. Of course, to do this, sophisticated weaponry was required. Steel
weaponry and harquebuses were used to conquer new lands, not defend their home.
However, all of these weapons pale in comparison to the destructive power of germs. A
civilization needs to be fed, so livestock and meat need to be kept in a convenient
place. However, the diseases that these animals harbor are deadly. But after hundreds
of years of exposure, Europeans were immune. But these germs were still harmful to any
new victims that were never exposed to them
before.
Society needs sustenance and
leadership. Innate diseases in animals are exposed to the population that eats them,
and they grow immunity. The leader of a group wants do defend his own people and
conquer new lands, which leads to the creation of weapons. The combination of disease
and weapons led to the destruction of any civilizations that came into conflict with the
European invaders.
eh? Eh?
Not
bad?
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