The ephemeral civilization

by G. D. Snooks

The Ephemeral Civilization is an astonishing intellectual feat in which Graeme Snooks develops an original and ground-breaking analysis of changing sociopolitical forms over the past 3,000 years. Snooks challenges the prevailing theories of social evolutionism with an innovative approach which also looks ahead to the twenty-first century. The Ephemeral Civilization builds on the model of dynamic strategy outlined in the author's highly acclaimed companion volume, The Dynamic Society. The Ephemeral Society is divided into three parts - theory, history and future. Part I: This provides a new strategic theory of human behaviour and institutional change that is based on extensive historical study rather than abstract ideas borrowed from the social or natural sciences. Unlike social evolutionism, this new theory provides an explanation for the complete reversals that are observed in sociopolitical change. Part II: This focuses on the three fundamental types of civilization identified in the