The Paradox of Civilization
Preinstitutional Sources of Security and Prosperity
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3494560 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ernesto Dal Bó (0000-0002-1587-9463, University of California, Berkeley, corresponding author), Pablo Hernández-Lagos (0000-0001-9082-3841, Yeshiva University, corresponding author), Sebastián Mazzuca (0000-0002-0802-677X, Johns Hopkins University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 116 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 213-230 |
| Publication date | 2022-02-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | American Political Science Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0003-0554 • E-ISSN: 1537-5943 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s000305542100071x |
| OpenAlex | W2200664483 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 10 |
| References cited | 66 |
The production of economic surplus, or "prosperity," was fundamental to financing the rise of pristine civilizations. Yet, prosperity attracts predation, which discourages the investments required for civilization. To the extent that the economic footing of civilization creates existential security threats, civilization is paradoxical. We claim that, in addition to surplus production, civilizations require surplus protection, or "security." Drawing from archaeology and history, we model the trade-offs facing a society on its path to civilization. We emphasize preinstitutional forces, especially the geographical environment, that shape growth and defense capabilities and derive the conditions under which these capabilities help escape the civilizational paradox. We provide qualitative illustration of the model by analyzing the rise of the first two civilizations, Sumer and Egypt
Civilization · Economic growth · Economics · Existentialism · Microeconomics · Political science · Production (economics · Prosperity · International Development and Aid · Law · Natural Resources and Economic Development · Political Conflict and Governance
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Varieties of State-Building
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Origins of the state and civilization
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Transmission, Barriers, and Constraints
Exogenous Shocks, Foreign Aid, and Civil War
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| Unique citing works | 10 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2016 - 2025 (10) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 10 |