A Study of History, Vol 3 : The Growths of Civilizations

oynbee continues his study through this third volume in the series by analyzing the source, nature and ways of growths of civilizations. In the first two parts, he specified what a civilization is and how one such society sprouts its first shoots as a response to challenges from physical or human sphere of influences. This volume discusses about the criteria of growth, because once something takes birth, it is the next step to take. This does not take place automatically, and this volume is a catalog of several false starts and stillborns. A creative minority in the society puts forward original ideas which might be ridiculed by the unthinking majority of the population. The pioneers then withdraw to seclusion in which the metamorphosis of development of the idea takes place. In the fullness of time, such savants return to the society and conquer the minds of the majority with their seed of originality. This takes deep root in the society and it moves forward on the path of development. We see from the numerous examples cited in the volume that this principle is faithfully followed by all civilizations in the world. The author appends an index which covers the first three volumes with this part.