Guns, gems and steel: The Fate(s) of Human Societies

This is a link to post today on my "This-Above-All" blogsite. From an overview deductions from World History on the Fates of Human Societies, I choose to bring to the fore some reflections on Dutch past history from medieval time till the present day in their fight to master landscaping for agriculture and flood-fighting due to R.J. Barendse.

The above slightly modified title comes from a the book by J. Diamond "Guns grains and steel: The Fate of Human Society" and from it's review by the Economist and Academic, Brad Delong which in turn led to lively comments around 1999-2000, when the book was reviewed.

[LINK].