ABSTRACT
Numerous hypotheses surround the origins of state-organized societies, as summarized in this chapter. Early models thought of the first states, in Egypt and Mesopotamia, as arising as a result of a single cause such as irrigation, agriculture, or warfare. Today’s models assume that there were many factors involved, among them the nature of local environments, long-distance trade, and emerging religious ideologies, as well as factionalism and a range of social factors, among them powerful leadership. The discussion includes a listing of the major features of preindustrial states, such as social stratification, writing, and public buildings, as well as centralized leadership. Most experts now agree that people, both groups and individuals, were the major catalyst for change. Many preindustrial states were volatile, rising and collapsing with bewildering speed. The decline of such societies is now a popular topic of research.
