In contemporary times, there is a growing skepticism among scholars regarding the conclusions drawn from the formative approach to history.
1. The cultural approach, typical of those who view history through a cultural lens, entails a rejection of the overarching laws of human history.
Adherents of the cultural approach perceive the history of human society as a succession of civilizations that emerge and vanish sequentially.
The cultural approach places significant emphasis on examining specific facets of the history of individual societies, countries, and peoples that have wielded considerable influence in the progress of humanity. It prioritizes the exploration of material aspects of societal development over spiritual factors.
Overall, within the realm of the cultural approach, there exists no uniform consensus or singular perspective on historical development. This diversity is evidenced by the existence of over 200 definitions of the concept of civilization in scholarly discourse. According to the cultural approach, which represents a somewhat broader and acknowledged perspective, human society progresses through the following stages of civilization:
– Neolithic civilization
– First class civilization
– Ancient civilization
– Medieval civilization
– Pre-industrial civilization
– Industrial civilization
– Post-industrial civilization
While adherents of the cultural approach delineate human society into various stages, there exists no unanimous consensus among them regarding how these stages, namely civilizations, differ from each other. Nonetheless, a widely embraced criterion is that each civilization exhibits a degree of cultural advancement surpassing its predecessor.
One of the most significant contributions of proponents of the cultural approach to scholarship is the identification of the «period-cycle» phenomenon. Researchers who subscribe to the notion that the history of human society unfolds in periods that emerge and vanish sequentially have observed that this phenomenon adheres to a certain law: each «period» comprises several stages. The majority of scholars conceive of the «cycle» as encompassing four primary stages.
– Birth
– Growth.
– Stagnation.
– Crisis-disruption.
There’s no necessity to delve into the concept of «periods» at this juncture, as the analysis of the mechanism behind the occurrence of this phenomenon will be addressed later, specifically in the section related to irrigated agriculture. It suffices to mention here that although scholars of the cultural approach have meticulously scrutinized the notion of «periods,» they have yet to fully elucidate the mechanism underlying its occurrence – the laws governing it. For instance, O. Spengler, a prominent figure in the cultural approach, in his renowned work «The Decline of the West,» characterizes the «period» as a universal phenomenon and anticipates its spread to Europe.
However, research has demonstrated that the «period» is not a universal phenomenon but rather specific to Eastern countries and societies whose economy is dominated by irrigated agriculture (A. Mamanov. National Mentality: Features and Factors. Samarkand, 2015).
The cultural approach is characterized by its vast scope and diversity, encompassing a variety of perspectives. As previously noted, a prevalent trait among these perspectives is the rejection of overarching, universal laws governing the historical development of human society. In essence, this cultural approach does not seek to offer a comprehensive portrayal of the historical development of human society, nor does it profess to do so.
Other theories
– Daron Ajemoglu
James A. Robinson
Why nations fail?
– At first glance, the title of the work suggests that the authors intend to uncover the reasons behind the disparities in the development of Earth’s peoples. However, upon thorough examination of the content, it becomes evident that the authors’ objectives diverge significantly. Essentially, it appears that the authors are endeavoring to undermine the framework capable of elucidating the genuine underlying causes of global developmental disparities and to divert developing nations from the path of progress.
Their viewpoint dismisses the significance of geographical conditions in shaping the development of Earth’s peoples. To illustrate this stance, they frequently reference the city of Nogales. They highlight the construction of a wall dividing the city into two parts as evidence supporting their argument.
The city of Nogales serves as a stark example of the disparities highlighted by the authors. Situated on the north side of the wall is the United States, while the south side belongs to Nogales, Mexico. The contrast between the two halves is striking: the northern sector boasts prosperity, cleanliness, orderly streets, educated inhabitants, and longer life expectancy. Conversely, the southern portion grapples with uneven streets, high crime rates, inadequate healthcare, impoverished living conditions, resulting in a life expectancy that is, on average, 10 years shorter than that of their northern counterparts.
Despite these disparities, the economies of both sides are interconnected: businesses from the north export their goods to the south for processing, taking the finished products back for sale or further refinement. This dynamic is driven by significantly lower labor costs in the south compared to the north.
The authors contend that «the stark contrast between the two sides of the same city cannot be attributed to geographical conditions or climate.»[7 - Дарон Ажем y?ли, Жеймс А. Робинсон. Почему одни страны богатые, а другие бедные. Москва – 2015. стр. 15.]
They argue that the primary factor contributing to this disparity is the application of different laws. However, this raises the question: Why are these laws not implemented on both sides of Nogales?
We disagree with this perspective. The laws in Mexico and the United States were established based on the unique geographical conditions and climate of each country. Mexico’s climate necessitates irrigated agriculture, shaping its state system, laws, and way of life accordingly. Additionally, Mexico’s history as a Spanish colony has left a significant imprint, influenced by Spain’s hot and dry climate where irrigated agriculture played a vital role in the economy. Consequently, Spain’s development lagged behind rainfed countries like England due to the demands and characteristics of irrigated agriculture. It’s evident that both the climate requirements for irrigated agriculture and the social and political legacies inherited from Spain inevitably influenced Mexico’s development trajectory.
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