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Theories About the Commencement of Agriculture in Prehistoric Societies: A Critical Evaluation

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  • Serge Svizzero
  • Clem Tisdell

Abstract

The commencement of agriculture in the Holocene era is usually seen as heralding the beginning of a chain of events that eventually resulted in the Industrial Revolution and in modern economic development. The purpose of this paper is to outline and critically review theories about why and how agriculture first began. It also classifies these theories according to whether they are based on agriculture's development as a response to food deprivation, to a food surplus, or neither of these factors. Because agriculture began independently in several different geographical centres, it seems unlikely that the switch of early societies from hunting and gathering to agriculture was the result of the same cause in all of these locations. Moreover, the paper provides some new suggestions as to why hunters and gatherers were motivated to commence or increase their dependence on agriculture in some locations. Views about the role of natural resources and institutions in the development of agriculture are also discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Serge Svizzero & Clem Tisdell, 2014. "Theories About the Commencement of Agriculture in Prehistoric Societies: A Critical Evaluation," Rivista di storia economica, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 3, pages 255-280.
    • Handle: RePEc:mul:jrkmxm:doi:10.1410/78237:y:2014:i:3:p:255-280
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    1. Tisdell, Clement A., 2010. "The Competitiveness of Small Household Pig Producers in Vietnam: Significant Research and Policy Findings from an ACIAR-sponsored Study and their Limitations," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 97471, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
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    7. Tisdell, Clement A. & Alauddin, Mohammad, 2002. "Market-Oriented Reforms in Bangladesh and their Impact on Poverty?," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90521, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    8. Tisdell, Clement A., 2001. "Globalisation, the Environment and Sustainability: EKC, Neo-Malthusian Concerns and the WTO," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90502, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    9. Tisdell, Clem & Seidl, Irmi, 2004. "Niches and economic competition: implications for economic efficiency, growth and diversity," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 119-135, June.
    10. Tisdell, Clement A., 2008. "Trust and its Implications for Economic Activity, Welfare and Globalisation," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90617, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
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    12. Tisdell, Clement A., 2006. "Economic and Business Relations Between Australia and China: An Overview and an Assessment," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90543, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    13. Darrian Collins & Clem Tisdell, 2004. "Outbound Business Travel Depends on Business Returns: Australian Evidence," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(2), pages 192-207, June.
    14. Easterly, William & Levine, Ross, 2003. "Tropics, germs, and crops: how endowments influence economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 3-39, January.
    15. Adam, Latif & Tisdell, Clement A., 2008. "Interfirm Networks in the Indonesian Garment Industry: Trust and Other Factors in their Formation and Duration and their Marketing Consequences," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90616, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    16. Tisdell, Clement A., 2008. "Economics, Corporate Sustainability and Social Responsibility," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90618, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
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    18. Tisdell, Clement A., 2002. "Economics and Tourism Development: Structural Features of Tourism and Economic Influences on its Vulnerability," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90522, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    19. Alauddin, Mohammad & Tisdell, Clement A., 2009. "Quantitative Impacts of Teaching Attributes on University TEVAL Scores and their Implications," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90621, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    20. John Luke Gallup & Jeffrey D. Sachs & Andrew Mellinger, 1999. "Geography and Economic Development," CID Working Papers 1, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    21. Tisdell, Clement A., 2004. "Economics of Business Learning: The Need for Broader Perspectives in Managerial Economics," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90532, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    22. Tisdell, Clement A., 2005. "Globalisation and the Economic Future of Small Isolated Nations Particularly in the Pacific," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90541, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    23. Tisdell, Clement A., 2010. "An Economic Study of Small Pigholders in Vietnam: Some Insights Gained and the Scope for Further Research," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90630, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
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    25. Jacob L. Weisdorf, 2005. "From Foraging To Farming: Explaining The Neolithic Revolution," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(4), pages 561-586, September.
    26. Tisdell, Clement A., 2008. "Structural Transformation in the Pig Sector in an Adjusting Vietnam Market: A Preliminary Investigation of Supply-side Changes," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90619, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    27. Tisdell, Clement A. & Svizzero, Serge, 2001. "Globalization, Social Welfare, Labor Markets and Fiscal Competition," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90503, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    28. Tisdell, Clement A., 2001. "Competition and Evolution in Economics and Ecology Compared," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90506, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    29. Tisdell, Clement A., 2005. "Business Partnerships in a Globalising World: Economic Considerations," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90542, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    30. Tisdell, Clement A., 2004. "Transaction Costs and Bounded Rationality - Implications for Public Administration and Economic Policy," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90531, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    31. Tisdell, Clement A., 2003. "The Efficient Public Provision of Commodities: Transaction Cost, Bounded Rationality and Other Considerations," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90524, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    32. Tisdell, Clement A., 2010. "Agricultural Development in Traditional Asian Economies: Observations Prompted by a Livestock Study in Vietnam," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90629, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    33. Tisdell, Clement A., 2008. "Thirty Years of Economic Reform and Openness in China: Retrospect and Prospect," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90620, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    34. Areendam Chanda & Louis Putterman, 2004. "Early Starts, Reversals and Catchup in The Process of Economic Development," Working Papers 2004-04, Brown University, Department of Economics.
    35. Clem Tisdell, 2013. "Agriculture, structural change and socially responsible development in China and Vietnam," Chapters, in: Moazzem Hossain & Tapan Sarker & Malcolm McIntosh (ed.), The Asian Century, Sustainable Growth and Climate Change, chapter 1, pages 11-25, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    36. John Luke Gallup & Jeffrey D. Sachs & Andrew Mellinger, 1999. "Geography and Economic Development," CID Working Papers 01A, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    37. Tisdell, Clement A. & Lapar, Ma. Lucila A. & Staal, Steven J. & Que, Nguyen Ngoc, 2009. "Natural Protection from International Competition in the Livestock Industry: Analysis, Examples and Vietnam's Pork Market as a Case," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90628, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    38. Bandara, Ranjith & Tisdell, Clement A., 2004. "Changing Abundance of Elephants and Willingness to Pay for their Conservation," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90538, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    39. Olsson, Ola & Hibbs, Douglas Jr., 2005. "Biogeography and long-run economic development," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 909-938, May.
    40. Tisdell, Clement A., 2009. "Economic Challenges Faced by Small Island Economies: An Overview," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90627, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
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    43. Tisdell, Clement A., 2005. "An Overview and Assessment of The Economics of Leisure," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90540, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
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    46. Tisdell, Clement A., 2004. "Tourism Development as a Dimension of Globalisation: Experiences and Policies of China and Australia," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90535, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    47. Gao, Zhicun & Tisdell, Clement A., 2004. "Television Production: Its Changing Global Location, the Product Cycle and China," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90530, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    48. Tisdell, Clement A., 2001. "Externalities, Thresholds and the Marketing of New Aquacultural Products: Theory and Examples," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90468, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    49. Gregory Dow & Clyde Reed & Nancy Olewiler, 2009. "Climate reversals and the transition to agriculture," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 27-53, March.
    50. Tisdell, Clement A., 2007. "The Evolution and Classification of the Published Books of Clem Tisdell: A Brief Overview," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90548, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    51. Tisdell, Clement A., 2010. "Animal Health Economics. What Can It Do? What Are the Big Questions?," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 97472, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    52. Tisdell, Clement A., 2002. "Tourism as a Contributor to the Economic Diversification and Development of Small States: Its Strengths, Weaknesses and Potential for Brunei," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90514, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    53. Tisdell, Clement A., 2004. "Can Globalisation Result in Less Efficient and More Vulnerable Industries?," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90536, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    54. Tisdell, Clement A., 2008. "Economic Benefits and Drawbacks of Cities and their Growth," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90615, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    55. Tisdell, Clement A., 2006. "Economic Prospects for Small Island Economies, Particularly in the South Pacific, in a Globalising World," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90547, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    56. Tisdell, Clement A., 2005. "Economic Globalisation: The Process and its Potential, Social, Economic and Environmental Impacts," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90539, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    57. Hibbs Jr., Douglas A. & Olsson, Ola, 2003. "Geography, Biogeography and Why Some Countries are Rich and Others Poor," Working Papers in Economics 105, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics, revised 15 Jan 2004.
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    Cited by:

    1. Serge Svizzero, 2016. "Foraging Wild Resources: Evolving Goals of an Ubiquitous Human Behavior," Post-Print hal-02147756, HAL.
    2. Svizzero, Serge & Tisdell, Clement, 2019. "Barter and the Origin of Money and Some Insights from the Ancient Palatial Economies of Mesopotamia and Egypt," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 291788, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    3. Svizzero, Serge & Tisdell, Clem, 2014. "Inequality and Wealth Creation in Ancient History: Malthus' Theory Reconsidered," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 183285, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    4. Clement Allan Tisdell & Serge Svizzero, 2015. "The Collapse of Some Ancient Societies Due to Unsustainable Mining Development," Working Papers hal-02152043, HAL.
    5. Clement Allan Tisdell & Serge Svizzero, 2017. "Optimization Theories of the Transition from Foraging to Agriculture: A Critical Assessment and Proposed Alternatives," Post-Print hal-02145490, HAL.
    6. Serge Svizzero & Clement A. Tisdell & Duncan Watson, 2016. "Economic evolution, diversity of societies and stages of economic development: A critique of theories applied to hunters and gatherers and their successors," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 1161322-116, December.
    7. Clement Allan Tisdell & Serge Svizzero, 2015. "Rent Extraction, Population Growth and Economic Development: Development Despite Malthus’ Theory and Precursors to the Industrial Revolution," Working Papers hal-02150103, HAL.
    8. Tisdell, Clement A. & Svizzero, Serge, 2019. "Economic Theory, Phoenician Pre-coinage External Trade, Changes in the Economic Surplus and its Appropriation - An Initial Perspective," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 291441, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    9. Serge Svizzero, 2017. "Persistent Controversies about the Neolithic Revolution," Post-Print hal-02145483, HAL.
    10. Serge Svizzero, 2016. "Foraging Wild Resources and Sustainable Economic Development," Post-Print hal-02146473, HAL.
    11. Serge Svizzero & Clement Allan Tisdell, 2015. "The Role of Palatial Economic Organization in Creating Wealth in Minoan and Mycenaean States," Working Papers hal-02150102, HAL.
    12. Clement Allan Tisdell & Serge Svizzero, 2016. "Different Behavioral Explanations of the Neolithic Transition from Foraging to Agriculture: A Review," Working Papers hal-02147758, HAL.
    13. Serge Svizzero & Clement Allan Tisdell, 2016. "Economic evolution, diversity of societies and stages of economic development: A critique of theories applied to hunters and gatherers and their successors," Post-Print hal-02147753, HAL.
    14. Serge Svizzero, 2015. "Trade, immiserising growth and the long-term neolithisation process of the Pitted Ware Culture," Post-Print hal-02148984, HAL.
    15. Sergio Cesaratto, 2019. "Heterodox economics and Economic Anthropology: reflections prompted by two books," Department of Economics University of Siena 807, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    16. Tisdell, Clem & Svizzero, Serge, 2015. "The Failure of Neoclassical Economics Modelling and Human Behavioural Ecology to Satisfactorily Explain the Evolution of Neolithic Society," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 197550, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    17. Cesaratto, Sergio, 2023. "Surplus Approach and Institutions: Where Sraffa Meets Polanyi," Centro Sraffa Working Papers CSWP61, Centro di Ricerche e Documentazione "Piero Sraffa", revised 02 May 2023.

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    JEL classification:

    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • N00 - Economic History - - General - - - General
    • P00 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - General - - - General
    • P52 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Studies of Particular Economies

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