Joseph A. Tainter Books
Joseph A. Tainter is an American anthropologist and historian specializing in the study of societal complexity and collapse.
Known for: The Collapse of Complex Societies
Books by Joseph A. Tainter
The Collapse of Complex Societies
In this influential work, Joseph A. Tainter examines why complex societies throughout history have collapsed, from the Roman Empire to the Maya civilization. He argues that as societies become more complex, the costs of maintaining that complexity increase, eventually leading to diminishing returns and societal collapse. Tainter integrates insights from archaeology, anthropology, and systems theory to propose a general model of societal decline.
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Theoretical Background: Previous Explanations for Collapse
The conversation about why civilizations fall has always attracted passionate thought. Historians, archaeologists, and social theorists have proposed diverse causes—resource depletion, barbarian invasions, environmental change, and internal social failure among them. In examining this body of litera...
From The Collapse of Complex Societies
Concept of Complexity: Societies as Problem-Solving Systems
A society is, at its core, a problem-solving organization. Every new institution, technological advance, or bureaucratic category arises to address some recurring need or challenge. From irrigation networks in Mesopotamia to the Roman administrative apparatus, complexity emerges as the product of ac...
From The Collapse of Complex Societies
About Joseph A. Tainter
Joseph A. Tainter is an American anthropologist and historian specializing in the study of societal complexity and collapse. He has served as a professor at Utah State University and has published extensively on sustainability, energy, and the dynamics of complex systems.
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Joseph A. Tainter is an American anthropologist and historian specializing in the study of societal complexity and collapse.
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