Nature favors those better equipped to survive; inequality is a natural byproduct of diversity in ability.
Human nature remains remarkably constant. While technology evolves, the fundamental motives of men—hunger, sex, vanity, and power—remain the same. Therefore, the "progress" of a civilization is often just the refinement of the means used to achieve ancient ends. The Lessons of History
Democracy is a relatively recent and fragile experiment. The authors suggest that it requires a high level of education and economic security to function. They warn that liberty and equality are "born enemies"—as liberty increases, so does inequality; to enforce equality, liberty must be sacrificed. Nature favors those better equipped to survive; inequality
Civilizations are not permanent. They are born, grow, flourish, and eventually decay. This decay usually happens from within—through the loss of social cohesion, moral decay, or the failure of leadership—before a physical "conquest" from the outside finishes the job. Conclusion: What is Progress? Therefore, the "progress" of a civilization is often
"The Lessons of History" (1968) is a concise survey of human history by Will and Ariel Durant. Distilled from their 11-volume The Story of Civilization , the book identifies recurring patterns in human behavior across 5,000 years.
The authors argue that history is a biological process. We are subject to the same laws as other organisms: