Chapter 2 Summary

The desire to escape civilization has been present ever since civilization came into existence. Chinese philosophers of Daoism urged followers to abandon structured patterns of urban life and immerse themselves in patterns of natural order. Civilization became possible due to immense productivity of agricultural revolution. Civilization always been a global phenomenon.Over last 5000 years civilization became a unique human community. Sumer in Mesopotamia was among the first. Norte Chico in Peru was also a unique civilization. Also civilization in the Indus River in India/Pakistan also developed. Common patterns in civilizations were standard weights, measures, architectural styles. Central Asia was also a site of civilization. It took many generations to develop a civilization. Hierarchies of class were founded.