The Paths of History - Softcover

Diakonoff, Igor M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521643988 ISBN 13: 9780521643986

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1999

Synopsis

This is a broad and ambitious study of the entire history of humanity that takes as its point of departure Marx's theory of social evolution. Professor Diakonoff's theory of world history differs from Marx's in a number of ways. First, he has expanded Marx's five stages of development to eight. Second, he denies that social evolution necessarily implies progress and shows how "each progress is simultaneously a regress," and third, he demonstrates that the transition from one stage to another is not necessarily marked by social conflict and that sometimes this is achieved peacefully and gracefully. As the book moves through these various stages, the reader is drawn into a remarkable and thought-provoking study of the process of the history of the human race that focuses on the wide range of factors (economic, social, military-technological, and socio-pyschological) that have influenced our development from palaeolithic times to the present day.

About this title

Book Description

The progress of mankind from palaeolithic times to the present day is the subject of this concise and important book by Professor Igor Diakonoff. This overview is unique in that it examines the whole history of humanity and the many factors which have governed it. Professor Diakonoff looks beyond the social and economic to analyse the broader range of influences (religious, ethnic, cultural, and military-technological) which have enabled the human race to move from one stage of development to another, demonstrating also that social evolution does not necessarily imply progress.

From the Back Cover

"The Paths of History provides an overview of the entire history of humanity and the laws governing it. This study takes as its point of departure Marx's theory of social evolution. Igor M. Diakonoff has expanded Marx's five stages of development to eight. In addition, and in contrast to Marx, Diakonoff denies that our transition from one stage to the next is marked by social conflict and revolution and demonstrates that these transitions are sometimes achieved peacefully and gracefully. Professor Diakonoff's focus is not limited solely to the economic and socio-economic aspects of our development; rather he examines in detail the ethnic, cultural, religious and military-technological factors which have been brought to bear over the centuries. He also denies that social evolution necessarily implies progress and shows how 'each progress is simultaneously a regress'. Finally the book concludes with a prognosis for the future of humanity."--BOOK JACKET.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521643988
• ISBN 13: 9780521643986
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 368