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Unsustainable Mining Development and the Collapse of Some Ancient Societies: Economic Reasons

Author

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  • Clement Tisdell

    (UQ [All campuses : Brisbane, Dutton Park Gatton, Herston, St Lucia and other locations] - The University of Queensland)

  • Serge Svizzero

    (CEMOI - Centre d'Économie et de Management de l'Océan Indien - UR - Université de La Réunion)

Abstract

The literature explaining social collapse mainly focuses on factors such as wars, climate change or disease, as exemplified by numerous examples of collapses which have occurred during the Late Bronze Age in the Near East and in the South-eastern Mediterranean region. This paper aims at demonstrating that collapse can also have economic reasons. Indeed, collapse may be the outcome of an economic growth process which is inherently unsustainable. More precisely, we claim that several ancient societies collapsed because their form of economic development eventually proved to be unable to sustain their standard of living. It is believed that the Únĕtice societies (which existed in the central European Early Bronze Age) were among those that collapsed for that reason. Two different simple models are presented to demonstrate how agricultural economies of this type which introduced bronze mining and metallurgy were unable to sustain their economic development.

Suggested Citation

  • Clement Tisdell & Serge Svizzero, 2019. "Unsustainable Mining Development and the Collapse of Some Ancient Societies: Economic Reasons," Post-Print hal-02274889, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02274889
    DOI: 10.20431/2454-8677.0503003
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-02274889
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Clement Allan Tisdell & Serge Svizzero, 2018. "The Economic Rise and Fall of the Silesian Únĕtice Cultural Population : a Case of Ecologically Unsustainable Development ?," Post-Print hal-02145471, HAL.
    2. Serge Svizzero & Clement Allan Tisdell, 2014. "Inequality and Wealth Creation in Ancient History: Malthus’ Theory Reconsidered," Post-Print hal-02153096, HAL.
    3. Clement Tisdell & Serge Svizzero, 2020. "The Ability in Antiquity of Some Agrarian Societies to Avoid the Malthusian Trap and Develop," Forum for Social Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(2), pages 202-227, April.
    4. Serge Svizzero & Clement Allan Tisdell, 2018. "The Demise of the Únĕtice Culture due to the Reduced Availability of Natural Resources for Bronze Production," Post-Print hal-02145465, HAL.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    unsustainable development; Bronze Age; elite; economic surplus; mining productivity; Únĕtice culture.;
    All these keywords.

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