Determinism And Possibilism In Geography Pdf
.Environmental determinism (also known as climatic determinism or geographical determinism) is the study of how the predisposes societies and states towards particular development trajectories. Many scholars underscore that this approach supported and, and devalued human agency in non-Western societies., and other social scientists sparked a revival of the theory during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.
Environmentalism included both environmental determinism and the environ- mentalist definition of geography as the study of man-environment relationships. These were not identical: most who accepted the environmentalist definition pre- ferred possibilism to geographical determinism. These two positions were not.
This 'neo-environmental determinism' school of thought examines how geographic and ecological forces influence,. Contents.A history of thought Classical and medieval periods Early theories of environmental determinism in, suggested that environmental features completely determined the physical and intellectual qualities of whole societies. (720–645 BC), an chancellor in China, held that the qualities of major rivers shaped the character of surrounding peoples. Swift and twisting rivers made people 'greedy, uncouth, and warlike'. The ancient Greek philosopher wrote a similar account in his treatise 'Airs, Waters, Places'.Writers in the medieval also produced theories of environmental determinism.
The writer argued that the of people and livestock were determined by the water, soil, and heat of their environments. He compared the color of black in the northern to the skin color of the peoples living there to support his theory., the and, similarly linked skin color to environmental factors.
In his (1377), he wrote that black skin was due to the hot climate of and not due to African lineage. He thereby challenged theories of race that held that the sons of were cursed with black skin. Many writings of Ibn Khaldun were translated during the colonial era in order to advance the colonial propaganda machine.Ibn Khaldun believed that the physical environment influenced non-physical factors in addition to skin color. He argued that soil, climate, and food determined whether people were or, and what customs and ceremonies they held. His writings may have influenced the later writings of during the 18th century through the traveller, who travelled to Persia and described theories resembling those of Ibn Khaldun. Western colonial period. Main article:In the winning (1999), author points to geography as the answer to why certain states were able to grow and develop faster and stronger than others.
His theory cited the natural environment and raw materials a civilization was blessed with as factors for success, instead of popular century old claims of racial and cultural superiority. Diamond says that these natural endowments began with the dawn of man, and favored Eurasian civilizations due to their location along similar latitudes, suitable farming climate, and early animal domestication.Diamond argues that early states located along the same latitude lines were uniquely suited to take advantage of similar climates, making it easier for crops, livestock, and farming techniques to spread.
Crops such as and were simple to grow and easy to harvest, and regions suitable for their cultivation saw high population densities and the growth of early cities. The ability to domesticate herd animals, which had no natural fear of humans, high birth rates, and an innate hierarchy, gave some civilizations the advantages of free labor, fertilizers, and war animals.
The east-west orientation of Eurasia allowed for knowledge capital to spread quickly, and writing systems to keep track of advanced farming techniques gave people the ability to store and build upon a knowledge base across generations. Craftsmanship flourished as a surplus of food from farming allowed some groups the freedom to explore and create, which lead to the development of and advances in technology. While the advantageous geography helped to develop early societies, the close proximity in which humans and their animals lived led to the spread of disease across Eurasia. Over several centuries, rampant disease decimated populations, but ultimately led to disease resistant communities. Diamond suggests that these chains of causation led to European and Asian civilizations holding a dominant place in the world today.Diamond uses the Spanish conquering of the Americas as a case study for his theory. He argues that the Europeans took advantage of their environment to build large and complex states complete with advanced technology and weapons.
The and other native groups were not as blessed, suffering from a north–south orientation that prevented the flow of goods and knowledge across the continent. The Americas also lacked the animals, metals, and complex writing systems of Eurasia which prevented them from achieving the military or biological protections needed to fight off the European threat.Diamond's theory has not gone without criticism. It was notably attacked for not providing enough detail regarding causation of environmental variables, and for leaving logical gaps in reasoning. Geographer Andrew Sluyter argued that Diamond was just as ignorant as the racists of the 19th century. Sluyter challenged Diamond's theory since it seemed to suggest that environmental conditions lead to gene selection, which then lead to wealth and power for certain civilizations. Sluyter also attacks environmental determinism by condemning it as a highly studied and popular field based entirely on Diamond's 'quick and dirty' combination of natural and social sciences. and similarly criticized Diamond's work in their book.
They contend that the theory is outdated and can not effectively explain differences in economic growth after 1500 or the reasons why states that are geographically close can exhibit vast differences in wealth. They instead favored an institutional approach in which a society's success or failure is based on the underlying strength of its institutions.Geography and pre-colonial African state-building The effects of climate and land abundance on the development of state systems. Main article:, and have achieved notoriety for demonstrating that diseases and terrain have helped shape tendencies towards democracy versus dictatorship, and through these economic growth and development. In their book, as well as a paper titled The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation, the authors show that the colonial disease environment shaped the tendency for Europeans to settle the territory or not, and whether they developed systems of agriculture and labor markets that were free and egalitarian versus exploitative and unequal. These choices of political and economic institutions, they argue, shaped tendencies to democracy or dictatorship over the following centuries.Factor endowments. Main article:In order to understand the impact and creation of institutions during early state formation, economic historians and examined the economic development of the Americas during colonization. They found that the beginnings of the success or failure of American colonies were based on the specific available to each colony.
These endowments included the climate, soil profitability, crop potential, and even native population density. Institutions formed to take advantage of these factor endowments. Those that were most successful developed an ability to change and adapt to new circumstances over time. For example, the development of economic institutions, such as, was caused by the need for a large property and labor force to harvest sugar and tobacco, while smallholder farms thrived in areas where scale economies were absent. Though initially profitable, plantation colonies also suffered from large dependent populations over time as slaves and natives were given few rights, limiting the population available to drive future economic progress and technological development.Factor endowments also influenced political institutions. This is demonstrated by the plantation owning elite using their power to secure long lasting government institutions and pass legislation that lead to the persistence of inequality society. Engerman and Sokoloff found smallholder economies to be more equitable since they discouraged an elite class from forming, and distributed political power democratically to most land-owning males.
These differences in political institutions were also highly influential in the development of schools, as more equitable societies demanded an educated population to make political decisions. Over time these institutional advantages had exponential effects, as colonies with educated and free populations were better suited to take advantage of technological change during the industrial revolution, granting country wide participation into the booming free-market economy.Engerman and Sokoloff conclude that while institutions heavily influenced the success of each colony, no individual type of institution is the source of economic and state growth. Other variables such as factor endowments, technologies, and the creation of property rights are just as crucial in societal development. To encourage state success an institution must be adaptable and suited to find the most economical source of growth. The authors also argue that while not the only means for success, institutional development has long lasting-economic and social effects on the state.Other prominent scholars contest the extent to which determine economic and political institutions.American economists and argue that economic development does not solely depend on geographic endowments—like temperate climates, disease-resistant climates, or soil favorable to. They stress that there is no evidence that geographic endowments influence country incomes other than through institutions. They observe that states like are poor—despite favorable environmental conditions like abundant rainfall and fertile soil—because of the damage wrought by colonialism.
Other states like with fewer endowments are more stable and have higher per capita incomes.Easterly and Levine further observe that studies of how the environment directly influences land and labor were tarred by racist theories of underdevelopment, but that does not mean that such theories can be automatically discredited. They argue that Diamond correctly stresses the importance of germs and crops in the very long-run of societal technological development. They find that regression results support the findings of and that factor endowments influence GDP per capita. However, Easterly and Levine's findings most support the view that long-lasting institutions most shape economic development outcomes.
Relevant institutions include private property rights and the rule of law.Jeffrey B. Nugent and similarly challenge scholars like who hold that certain factor endowments and preconditions necessarily lead to particular political and economic organizations.
Nugent and Robinson show that in pursued radically different paths of political and economic development during the nineteenth century.Some coffee states, like and, passed laws like the. They favored smallholders, held elections, maintained small militaries, and fought fewer wars. Smallholder arrangements prompted widespread government investment in education.
Other states like and produced coffee on plantations, where individuals were more disenfranchised. Whether a state became a smallholder or plantation state depended not on factor endowments but on norms established under —namely, legal statues determining access to land, the background of the governing elites, and the degree of permitted political competition. Nugent and Robinson thereby conclude that factor endowments alone do not determine economic or political institutions.Direct effects of geography on economic development Effects of terrain on trade and productivity Historians have also noted population densities seem to concentrate on coastlines and that states with large coasts benefit from higher average incomes compared to those in landlocked countries. Coastal living has proven advantageous for centuries as civilizations relied on the coastline and waterways for trade, irrigation, and as a food source.
Conversely, countries without coastlines or navigable waterways are often less urbanized and have less growth potential due to the slow movement of knowledge capital, technological advances, and people. They also have to rely on costly and time consuming over-land trade, which usually results in lack of access to regional and international markets, further hindering growth. Additionally, interior locations tend to have both lower population densities and labor-productivity levels. However, factors including fertile soil, nearby rivers, and ecological systems suited for rice or wheat cultivation can give way to dense inland populations.and Diego Puga note that though rugged terrain usually makes farming difficult, prevents travel, and limits societal growth, early African states used harsh terrain to their advantage. The authors used a terrain ruggedness index to quantify topographic heterogeneity across several regions of Africa, while simultaneously controlling for variables such as diamond availability and soil fertility. The results suggest that historically, ruggedness is strongly correlated with decreased income levels across the globe and has negatively impacted state growth over time.
They note that harsh terrain limited the flow of trade goods and decreased crop availability, while isolating communities from developing knowledge capital. However, the study also demonstrated that the terrain had positive effects on some African communities by protecting them from the slave trade. Communities that were located in areas with rugged features could successfully hide from slave traders and protect their homes from being destroyed.
The study found that in these areas rugged topography produced long-term economic benefits and aided post-colonial state formation. Effects of climate on productivity The impact that climate and water navigability have on economic growth and GDP per capita was studied by notable scholars including,. By using variables to measure environmental determinism, such as climate, land composition, latitude, and the presence of infectious disease, they account for trends in worldwide economic development on local, regional and global scales. To do so, they measure economic growth with GDP per capita adjusted to purchasing power parity (PPP), while also taking into consideration population density and labor productivity.Economic historians have found that societies in the experience higher standards of living, and that as latitude increases north or south from the equator, levels of real GDP per capita also increases.
Climate is closely correlated with agricultural production since without ideal weather conditions, agriculture alone will not produce the surplus supply needed to build and maintain economies. Locations with hot tropical climates often suffer underdevelopment due to low fertility of soils, excessive plant transpiration, ecological conditions favoring infectious diseases, and unreliable water supply. These factors can cause tropical zones to suffer a 30% to 50% decrease in productivity relative to temperate climate zones. Tropical infectious diseases that thrive in hot and moist equatorial climates cause thousands of deaths each year. They are also an economic drain on society due to high medical costs, and the unwillingness of foreign capital to invest in a sickly state.
Because infectious diseases like malaria often need a warm ecology for growth, states in the mid to high latitudes are naturally protected from the devastating effects of disease. Climatic determinism and colonization Climatic determinism, otherwise referred to as the equatorial paradox, is an aspect of. According to this theory, about 70% of a country's can be predicted by the distance between that country and the, and that the further from the equator a country is located, the more developed it tends to be. The theory is the central argument of 's Physioeconomics: The Basis for Long-Run Economic Growth, in which he argues that since humans originated as tropical mammals, those who relocated to colder climates attempt to restore their physiological homeostasis through wealth-creation.
Determinism And Possibilism In Geography Pdf
This act includes producing more food, better housing, heating, warm clothes, etc. Conversely, humans that remained in warmer climates are more physiologically comfortable simply due to temperature, and so have less incentive to work to increase their comfort levels.
Therefore, according to Parker is a direct product of the natural compensation of humans to their climate.Political geographers have used climatic determinism ideology to attempt to predict and rationalize the history of civilization, as well as to explain existing or perceived social and cultural divides between peoples. Some argue that one of the first attempts geographers made to define the development of human geography across the globe was to relate a country's climate to human development. Using this ideology, many geographers believed they were able 'to explain and predict the progress of human societies'. This led to warmer climate zones being 'seen as producing less civilized, more degenerate peoples, in need of salvation by western colonial powers.' Also travelled continental Europe in hopes of better understanding the connection between climate and state success, publishing his findings in The Pulse of Asia, and further elaborating in Civilization and Climate. Like the political geographers, a crucial component of his work was the belief that the climate of North-western Europe was ideal, with areas further north being too cold, and areas further south being too hot, resulting in lazy, laid-back populations. These ideas were powerful connections to, and may have played a role in the creation of the ' and the literature that many used to justify taking advantage of less advanced nations.
Huntington also argued that climate can lead to the demise of even advanced civilizations through drought, food insecurity, and damages to economic production. See also.
Sep 13, “Environmental possibilism and determinism are theories, put forth in order to comprehend and understand the role played by the physical. Dec 30, Possibilism is a concept that is most commonly associated with the work of Thus, possibilism explains that the environment does not dictate.
Apr 3, Determinism and possibilism are two philosophical approaches in Determinism; Environmental determinism; Possibilism; Neo-determinism.Author:Kagaktilar AkinolabarCountry:LiberiaLanguage:English (Spanish)Genre:LovePublished (Last):8 October 2013Pages:434PDF File Size:2.46 MbePub File Size:8.10 MbISBN:941-4-65253-606-9Downloads:99408Price:Free.Free Regsitration RequiredUploader:How are Mountains Formed. They also did not take into account the essential factor of human ingenuity and advancement in technology. Determinism and Possibilism in GeographyIn what ways does the environment shape human culture s? Sense of direction, numerical concepts, gendered traits, even the colors that we perceive with our own eyes Humans can alter the environment to best serve their needs, through the use of technology.Season 2 of Vox borders has 5 episodes about Hong Kong: Who Invented the Battery. How is Florida emblematic of the nation as a whole? There are many reasons, which together add up to food insecurity, the world’s no.
Possibilism (geography) – WikipediaIn less than a decade, U. If you want more, check out this additional gallery. Email required Address never made public. Why should I share my scoops? How do I follow my topics’ performance? This article outlines differences between environmental determinism and environmental possibilism.It helps those who live in the city have access to everything locally. Matt Danielson ‘s curator insight, December 12, Retrieved from ” https: Catherine Envirronment ‘s curator insight, November 26, 2: How language shapes the way we think.Author archive Author website.
North Korea routinely threatens to destroy Japan with nuclear weapons, prompting a spike in Japanese nationalism.Give three examples when it might be inappropriate. Women, men and children apparently had little inhibition about falling asleep when and wherever they felt like doing so. I’m podsibilism sharing this article because of the monthly fluctuations in labor. In this article about sleep in Japan, what elements of external culture above the surface are present? Why is Geography So Important?Adopting a national language might be good political policy, but culturally, that doesn’t ensure it’s viability.Cities can improve sidewalks, decrease parking lots, beautify storefronts and add other amenities that encourage walking. Was used to promote racism. PossibilismBranding your topics will give more credibility to your content, position you as a professional expert and generate conversions possbiilism leads.
You can grab data straight from an online list like Wikipediabut you can also use spreadsheets, databases, or any other tab delimited dataset. For those of without such privilege, especially people of color in poor socio-economic stratas, life is difficult.Notify me of new comments via email. Environmental Possibilism Vs. Environmental Determinism – GEOGRAPHY EDUCATIONMany voiced the complaint: Retrieved 5 May Not only will it drive traffic and leads through your content, but it will help show your expertise with your followers.Learn how to connect your accounts. The result is a North Korean bubble in Japan whose members face fierce discrimination from Japanese society, leading the community to turn to Pyongyang for support.
This is a great case study for human geography classes that touches on many curricular topics.