Cannibals and Kings
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Cannibals and Kings (1977, ISBN 0394407652) is a book written by Marvin Harris. The book presents a systematic discussion of ideas about the reasons for a culture making a transition by stages from egalitarian hunter-gatherer to hierarchically based nationhood as population density increases.
According to Harris, humans shifted from a low-carbohydrate diet largely based on hunter-gatherer sources to a high-carbohydrate diet largely based on agricultural when intensive agriculture began. Harris posits that this diet change resulted in more body fat, which for females led to earlier menarche and a smaller reduction in fertility from nursing infants, which then led to shorter periods between pregnancies. Harris also describes the state of the world in the late 19th century as one of approaching catastrophe as predicted by Malthus (Malthusian catastrophe). Harris then discusses three 20th century innovations that explain this postponement of the catastrophe: the exploitation of petroleum, reliable contraceptives, and social changes in some cultures that make smaller families more desirable.
Cannibals and Kings is divided in several chapters:
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Culture and Nature
Murders in Eden
The Origin of Agriculture
The Origin of War
Proteins and the Fierce People
The Origin of Male Supremacy
The Origin of Pristine States
The Pre-Columbian States of Mesoamerica
The Cannibal Kingdom
The Lamb of Mercy
Forbidden Flesh
Harris discusses the development of pork as a taboo food in ancient Israelite society. Harris argues that pigs produce no utility aside from meat, compared with cattle and goats, which provide milk, transport, and labor. Furthermore, cattle consume grass, while pigs are poor grazers and must compete with humans for grain. This led to pigs being reviled, and he argues this gave rise to the pig as a taboo food in the Old Testament and goes to to briefly discuss the other listed taboos.
The Sacred Cow
The cow as a sacred animal and taboo food in Hindu culture is discussed. Unlike the Middle Eastern civilizations, India had developed very productive forms of agriculture, requiring heavy labor. The high population densities and the periodic droughts rendered animal husbandry for food purposes unpractical, and slowly led to the ending of animal sacrifice. However, cattle remained an important species because they provided farm labor. Desperation incurred during periods of drought might lead to the temptation to slaughter and eat the work animals for short-term survival; such damaged long-term prospects by destroying the means of production. Harris argues that such a situation led to the evolution of the cow as a taboo food and its worship as a sacred creature in India.
The Hydraulic Trap
Hydraulic empires are discussed. Ancient empires such as China, Persia, and Egypt were civilizations reliant upon water for agriculture. The necessity of labor-intensive projects such as irrigation, canals, and flood control dykes led the development of strong, centralized, and despotic states to mobilize the needed manpower for construction. Despite foreign conquest or change of government, the nature of such states would remain essentially unchanged because of the unchanging need to mobilize human labor.
The Origin of Capitalism
Harris discusses feudalism in Europe and the origins of capitalism. Because European agriculture relied upon rainfall and not irrigation, European rulers were unable to effectively monopolize power and restrict the rising power of towns. The growth of towns and cities, from a combination of population growth and urban migration, would lead to early forms of capitalism.