Humanity and Society : A World History

Contents: Preface. 1. The roots of humanity. 2. The first societies. 3. Farming societies. 4. The first civilized societies. 5. Civilization in Asia. 6. Oceania. 7. Africa. 8. The slave--commercial civilizations. 9. The Byzantine and Arab empires. 10. European commercial-feudal civilization. 11. The capitalist revolution in Europe. 12. America and the capitalist revolution. Bibliography. Notes. Index.

“Humanity and Society is unlike most other “world” histories, as it does not reflect a world dominated by Europe and the United States with a supporting cast of superficially-treated, peripheral countries. Rather, this book seeks to present a non-Eurocentric, balanced account of human history, one that is not merely a survey of kings, parliaments, and wars, but a portrait of the major developments and integrations of social and cultural movements. The emphasis is on the “larger social matters: the conditions of labor (slavery, serfdom), the social status of women, war, economic history, and political structures”. It provides an account that, while richly detailed, remains highly readable, and successfully meets the colossal challenge that the undertaking of a world history presents.”