Childe-UrbanRevolution-1950

The Urban Revolution Overview

• Author: V. Gordon Childe

• Publication: The Town Planning Review, April 1950

• Focus: The definition and historical context of urbanization as a revolutionary change in society.

Definition of a City

• Conceptual Ambiguity: The term "city" is difficult to define accurately.

• Historical Context: Presents a historical perspective of the city emerging from societal evolution.

• Revolution Definition: Refers to a significant transformation in economic structures and community organization, marked by population increases that could show a bend in demographic graphs.

Stages of Societal Evolution

• Sociological Classification: Societies categorized historically into three stages: savagery, barbarism, and civilization.

• Savagery: Characterized by foraging for wild foods (hunting and gathering).

• Barbarism: Involves sedentary agriculture or animal husbandry alongside foraging.

• Civilization: Emerges with proper distinctions based on urban living and written communication.

Demographic Changes during the Urban Revolution

• Population Increase: The Urban Revolution primarily resulted in denser living conditions within cities, contrasting with previous sparse population strata during savagery and barbarism.

• Food Supply's Role: Population density is contingent upon food supply, which is restricted by available natural resources and technological methods of production and distribution.

The Neolithic Revolution

• Key Feature: Enabled the establishment of permanent settlements and significantly raised the population carrying capacity of land.

• Population Density: Neolithic societies showed potential for higher densities but were constrained by technology and agricultural methods.

• Social Structures: Early communities operated with minimal social specialization due to the need for all members to contribute to food production.

The Role of Specialists

• Emergence of Full-Time Roles: Full-time specialists arose only when a surplus of production allowed individuals to focus on crafts or military duties without needing to hunt or cultivate regularly.

• Caste Development: Itinerant specialists began forming their craft guilds, distancing themselves from traditional kinship structures.

The Rise of Cities and Civilizations

• Urbanization Indicators: Key aspects distinguishing urban centers from villages include:

  1. Size and Population Density: Early cities were larger and held greater population densities than any previous settlements, although smaller than modern cities.

  2. Social Stratification: Cities developed different classes beyond primary producers, including craftsmen, merchants, and transport workers.

  3. Public Architecture: Monumental buildings such as temples served to organize communal efforts and accommodate roles within the city's functioning.

  4. Trade and Economy: The establishment of trade routes and reliance on external resources marked cities as economically dependent on the surrounding environments.

  5. Innovation in Writing: The creation and development of writing systems facilitated record-keeping and advanced sciences, which were essential for administration and resource management.

  6. Artistic Expression and Specialization: The surplus allowed for artistic innovations and specialization in industries.

  7. Political Structure: Emergence of governance structures to manage growing populations and complex societal needs.

The Urban Revolution Overview

Author: V. Gordon ChildePublication: The Town Planning Review, April 1950Focus: The definition and historical context of urbanization as a revolutionary change in society.

Definition of a City

• Conceptual Ambiguity: The term "city" is difficult to define accurately due to variations in size, structure, and function across cultures and time periods.

• Historical Context: Presents a historical perspective of the city emerging from societal evolution, illustrating how cities developed from simpler communities as technology and social organization advanced.

• Revolution Definition: Refers to a significant transformation in economic structures and community organization, marked by population increases that could show a bend in demographic graphs, symbolizing a shift from rural to urban living.

Stages of Societal Evolution

• Sociological Classification: Societies categorized historically into three stages: savagery, barbarism, and civilization, each representing distinct advancements in social organization and technology.

  • Savagery: Characterized by foraging for wild foods (hunting and gathering), where groups were small and nomadic, relying on natural resources for survival.

  • Barbarism: Involves sedentary agriculture or animal husbandry alongside foraging, leading to the establishment of permanent settlements, initially small in scale but gradually growing.

  • Civilization: Emerges with complex social structures, urban living, and written communication, allowing for better governance, economic management, and cultural development.

Demographic Changes during the Urban Revolution

• Population Increase: The Urban Revolution primarily resulted in denser living conditions within cities, contrasting with previous sparse population strata during savagery and barbarism, leading to challenges in resource distribution and social cohesion.

• Food Supply's Role: Population density is contingent upon food supply, which is restricted by available natural resources and technological methods of production and distribution; innovations in agriculture directly influence urban growth and social structure.

The Neolithic Revolution

• Key Feature: Enabled the establishment of permanent settlements and significantly raised the population carrying capacity of land, marking a pivotal transition in human history from nomadic lifestyles to settled agricultural societies.

• Population Density: Neolithic societies showed potential for higher densities but were constrained by technology and agricultural methods, facing challenges such as soil depletion and reliance on seasonal cycles.

• Social Structures: Early communities operated with minimal social specialization due to the need for all members to contribute to food production, fostering strong communal bonds but limiting individual roles.

The Role of Specialists

• Emergence of Full-Time Roles: Full-time specialists arose only when a surplus of production allowed individuals to focus on crafts or military duties without needing to hunt or cultivate regularly, marking the beginning of social stratification.

• Caste Development: Itinerant specialists began forming their craft guilds, distancing themselves from traditional kinship structures, leading to increased economic complexity and differentiation of roles within the society.

The Rise of Cities and Civilizations

• Urbanization Indicators: Key aspects distinguishing urban centers from villages include:

  • Size and Population Density: Early cities were larger and held greater population densities than any previous settlements, although smaller than modern cities, able to support diverse activities beyond agriculture.

  • Social Stratification: Cities developed different classes beyond primary producers, including craftsmen, merchants, and transport workers, highlighting the diversification of economic roles and power dynamics.

  • Public Architecture: Monumental buildings such as temples, palaces, and public spaces served to organize communal efforts and accommodate roles within the city's functioning, indicating collective investment in urban infrastructure.

  • Trade and Economy: The establishment of trade routes and reliance on external resources marked cities as economically dependent on the surrounding environments, facilitating cultural exchange and resource distribution.

  • Innovation in Writing: The creation and development of writing systems facilitated record-keeping, advanced sciences, and administration, which were essential for governance, trade management, and resource allocation.

  • Artistic Expression and Specialization: The surplus allowed for artistic innovations and specialization in industries, resulting in cultural advancements that reflect the society's values and beliefs.

  • Political Structure: Emergence of governance structures to manage growing populations and complex societal needs, leading to formalized laws and bureaucracies that defined relationships within the urban context.

Conclusion

These elements illustrate how the Urban Revolution contributed significantly to the fabric of societal development and organization, fostering interactions that transformed economies, lifestyles, and cultural identities through urbanization's expansive reach and enduring impact on human civilization.

The Urban Revolution Overview by V. Gordon Childe (1950) explores the historical context and definition of urbanization as a revolutionary change in society. It highlights the difficulty in defining a "city" and frames urbanization as a transformation marked by population increases that shift demographics. Childe categorizes societal evolution into three stages: savagery (foraging), barbarism (sedentary agriculture and animal husbandry), and civilization (urban living with written communication). The Urban Revolution increased population density within cities, which was influenced by food supply and technological advancements. Key aspects include the Neolithic Revolution establishing permanent settlements, the emergence of full-time roles and social stratification, and urbanization indicators like size, public architecture, trade, writing innovations, artistic expression, and formal governance structures. Childe concludes that these developments significantly affected societal structure and organization.