Book SummaryThe Better Angels of Our Nature, by Steven Pinker

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Better Angels of Our Nature

Violent incidents have noticeably declined over time.

Steven Pinker presents the case that, contrary to popular belief, violence has diminished historically over long stretches of time. The writer argues that a convergence of historical, archaeological, psychological, and anthropological data subtly indicates a particular trend. In his discussion, Pinker examines the entire spectrum of aggressive behavior, from global conflicts to everyday hostilities. The understanding of the decline in violence hinges on recognizing the transition from the chaotic conditions typically present in societies without structured government to communities that are orderly and under the rule of recognized institutions. Steven Pinker delves into different epochs in history that experienced substantial reductions in a range of violent behaviors, particularly during the era in Europe referred to as the Civilizing Process, as well as during the eras distinguished by the Humanitarian and Rights Revolutions, which predominantly affected Western cultures.

The shift from a nomadic hunter-gatherer existence to the formation of early states led to a quintupling reduction in acts of violence.

Pinker argues that a major decrease in human conflict occurred when nomadic, foraging tribes, often engaging in skirmishes with neighboring groups, transitioned to a sedentary lifestyle under the rule of powerful entities that established law and order. Steven Pinker describes the transition to societies that became increasingly nonviolent with the rise of agricultural civilizations approximately 5,000 years ago as "The Pacification Process." The author, drawing on insights from evolutionary psychologists regarding the calculated aspects of aggression, suggests that foragers and early farmers, existing in areas where government influence was minimal, would engage in violent confrontations for various reasons that Thomas Hobbes detailed in Leviathan: competition for territory and resources, preemptive strikes to prevent being targeted themselves, and the establishment of a violent reputation to ward off those who might take advantage of them. Historical and archaeological evidence, though not exhaustive, suggests that early human societies, despite not being perpetually engaged in warfare, faced more perils than later periods characterized by established governmental frameworks.

Societies governed by established states generally enjoy a calmer existence than those without such political structures.

Pinker illustrates how the evolution from anarchy to organized systems of governance has effectively acted as a pacifying force, highlighting the contrast between the higher instances of violence in tribal societies and the lower occurrences in more structured communities. He employs statistics from research on communities engaged in hunting and subsistence agriculture, as well as from different native tribal populations. These societies frequently engaged in warfare, with conflicts arising at least biennially, and their histories are filled with accounts of numerous skirmishes and assaults that resulted in a significant loss of life. He also examines forensic archaeological evidence from prehistoric and more recent skeletal remains, looking for signs of violence such as embedded arrowheads, bashed-in skulls, and parry fractures, which suggest that hunter-gatherers and early farmers were more than twice as likely as those living in the first states to have died violently. In his analysis, Pinker emphasizes the remarkable disparity in the occurrence of conflict-related fatalities in these societies compared to those in modern Western countries, even during times of severe military conflict. In societies that relied on hunting and gathering, and in those without centralized authority, the annual death rate from organized conflict was between 50 and 500 per 100,000 people, a figure that is five times higher than that seen in societies with established government institutions and more than fifty times the rate in Western countries in the twentieth century.

As civilization has advanced, there has been a rise in authoritarian governance and harshness, alongside a simultaneous decrease in the number of violent incidents among people.

The author acknowledges that the transition from anarchy to the establishment of initial governments yielded a mix of beneficial and detrimental outcomes. Individuals experienced a reduction in the likelihood of perishing in combat, yet they increasingly lived under the dominion of kings and emperors. Numerous ancient civilizations were ruled by leaders who exemplified the most oppressive forms of tyranny. Pinker notes that the first leaders of nascent states often displayed more cruelty towards their citizens than later rulers, imposing harsh punishments and carrying out arbitrary executions, as well as ruthlessly and fatally punishing people for minor offenses or suspected disobedience. Pinker cites various historical and anthropological research that suggests early governance systems often possessed a religious nature. In these frameworks, the ruling elite maintained sole command over violence, similar to the anticipated conduct of a despot, and enforced a rigid social hierarchy in which they were revered as gods or heavenly rulers, with any opposition to their authority being severely punished.

Civilization's advancement has resulted in a significant decrease in European homicide rates, dropping by more than ten times from medieval times to the 20th century.

Pinker posits that as societies transitioned from small, disorganized groups to expansive, orderly nations, there was a marked decrease in European homicide rates from medieval times to the present era. Local warlords, such as barons, knights, and various nobles, were embroiled in territorial disputes that resulted in widespread turmoil and bloodshed throughout Medieval Europe. Pinker explores the idea that the...