Guided by Instinct: Feeling Evolutionary and Political Patterns

Part 5/10 – Iron and Wheat

“From the moment [humans] had need of another’s help, from the time they noticed that it was useful for one [human] alone to have provisions for two, equality disappeared, property was introduced, work became necessary”

– Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Rousseau believed that metallurgy and agriculture were the two art forms that spawned the turning point in history when humans became unequal in merit, more protected from the elements of nature and increasingly dependent on one another for survival. For Rousseau, it is the combination of these two art forms that is of particular significance because this particular fusion seemed to bring about a political order that was unique to nations that were rich in both resources (iron and wheat), leaving other countries that practiced one of these art forms (metallurgy or agriculture) without the other, rather “behind” in their “development”, by “modern standards”.

Before the Iron Age, humans were still content with their stone and bronze tools and utensils in many parts of the world and used these tools to strengthen their chances of survival in nature while still employing themselves in these arts and conditioning their individual independence while doing so. However, some regions, such as Central Europe, had another natural resource in addition to iron that provided a good source of energy for humans which also strengthened their chances for survival, and that was wheat. In this region, the art of agriculture (beginning with the cultivation and harvesting of wheat) “developed” alongside metallurgy leading to an interdependency that marks the starting point of the current epoch we live in today.

In Rousseau’s opinion, it was these two natural resources that brought political order to the world, and since Europe (Central) was “the most abundant in iron and the most fertile in wheat” it was the first area to inherit this new world order. Before that time, humans mainly occupied themselves with tasks that they could do by themselves, which Rousseau describes as a time of “independent interaction” among humans, a time when they were content with their “rustic huts” and self-made clothes and tools and “lived free, healthy, good, and happy lives” in nature, or rather, with nature and its elements.

When humans began to recognize the many different uses of iron and the abundancy of this strong, metallic element, they used their evolving intelligence and industrious nature to mould it into tools and utensils that proved to be more indestructible than their predecessors made of stone and bronze. Determining the very first uses of metal is very important because it links us to both prehistory and our true animal nature. It also helps us to understand our contemporary political world a little better and how the widespread production of iron and steel stimulated the metal industry globally, influencing a wide range of sectors that now heavily depend on this natural element to sustain their technology.

It is believed that agriculture came after metallurgy because it was the metal tools that were used (and eventually needed) for large-scale cultivation. Meanwhile, humans from regions that practiced only one of these art forms (because they were more limited in their natural resources), were still practicing and refining their hunting and gathering modes of subsistence, which was still satisfying most of their basic needs while nurturing levels of self-sufficiency within those individuals/groups. However, for regions like Central Europe, that became industrious in both metallurgy and agriculture, human civilization changed dramatically because inhabitants of these areas figured out how the use of iron could increase the production of food.

“The invention of other arts was thus necessary to force the human race to apply itself to the art of agriculture. As soon as [humans] were needed to melt and forge iron, other [humans] were needed to feed them. The more the number of workers multiplied, the fewer hands were used to provide their common subsistence, without their being fewer mouths to consume it. And since some of them had to have foodstuffs in exchange for their iron, others finally discovered the secret of using iron to increase the production of food. From that was born, on one hand, plowing and agriculture and, on the other hand, the art of working with metals and multiplying their uses.” (Rousseau 1755)

And so, following the cultivation of land, of course, came the division of this land which then became known as “property” and once this land was distinguished in such a way, the first principles of natural justice were born, which brought political order upon the world and modern state building as we understand it today. By “modern” standards, political order is established when a region has developed state building, rule of law and an accountable government. Europe was the first region to meet these standards because of where it is geographically situated and the resources that it had “at its disposal”, which helps to explain the origination and generation of political power and authority and where this power and and authority was rooted (from a global perspective) before it started spreading itself across the world.

We can also use this knowledge to conceptualize our current arms (weapon) industry and think about how differently this industry matured in various regions of the world at different times and why. We can think about how the design of arrowheads evolved throughout history and the ways in which they were first used by Native American groups for their self-preservation. We can think about how iron and wheat helped the metal industry to evolve most rapidly in Europe and the unfair advantage this region had in its "development" of weaponry and the type of armament colonizers had at their disposal when they came to conquer the Americas. Once we understand the exploitive tactics that were used during this time period and the levels of deceit at play, we can more easily imagine why European Imperialism would eventually lead to World Wars.

In my opinion, the main problem here, is that humans began manipulating this natural resource (iron) before having foresight, so the art of metallurgy was steadily advancing before anybody even considered how it would cultivate the growth of property/societies and the egotism that would arise inside humans after they began comparing themselves with one another in these new European societies (which Russeau refers to as "amour-propre"). From this perspective, we can then start to imagine how these new levels of egotism led to the human pursuit of glory and the role that metal weapons had in these battles for honour. And finally, from here, we can more justly examine how the art of metallurgy indirectly (yet, directly) relates to the global commercialization/mismanagement of our current arms industry and how this industry has influenced (and continues to influence) military inventions/technology, which continues to deeply/seriously/tragically impact our political landscape as whole and the safety of that landscape.

It is now interesting to go back and think about iron and wheat in its purest form and how the combination of these two natural resources may have been regarded as a blessing at one time by humans lucky enough to inhabit land that was rich in both. Resources that ultimately led to an unequal level of political power and authority for societies that first simultaneously embraced the arts of both metallurgy and agriculture and the new levels of “civility” cultivated by these groups. However, for groups that suffered the consequences of European colonization of the Americas and the violence, racism, slavery, displacement and disestablishment that occurred during this colonization (or more generally, the abuse of this unequal distribution of power and authority) are more likely to regard this combination of natural resources as more of a curse than a blessing. A curse that "the Americas” are unfortunately, still recovering from, due to the deeply embedded racism that continues to haunt the foundation of our current institutions, initiated by European colonizers who “helped” us to achieve the “political order” that they achieved first, which is the political order that we are currently living under.

My reflections are, of course, not meant to inspire hostility towards European nations or any type of negative disturbance among society in general. If anything, this part of the series is meant to highlight the industrious nature of our species which may help us to recognize or re-recognize the industriousness that exists within ourselves that may have become lost in the interdependent society we now live in. The quality of this trait may even be distinctive enough to our true animal nature that we may find that it greatly impacts the levels of fulfillment we experience on a day-to-day basis in our contemporary world. In general, I am simply connecting knowledge that is already widely understood in a manner that may allow readers to observe our global political landscape from a slightly different perspective. Because, the more perspectives we understand, the more empathetic we can be toward other nations and the unique period they are currently experiencing within their own specific political evolution.

Furthermore, some of us have managed to gain high levels of foresight that earlier humans may have lacked when they first discovered the advantages of iron and wheat and so we can now use this foresight to our advantage to help make the world a better place for everybody. This can also help us to think about other nations as individual humans rather than mere “business partners” and then use the special foresight that we have gained (due to where we are situated in our own national political evolution) to help other nations make choices rather than “deals” that will not only be beneficial to their safety and that of their citizens but it may also nurture healthier growth rather than “development" within such nations. In other words, if there is a possibility that we can help other nations make better decisions than we did because we learned from the mistakes that we essentially had to make first, due to political world order that was out of our control (much like an older sibling would do for their younger sibling/siblings), then that would be the most just thing to do, in my opinion. Otherwise, we are withholding knowledge that could be beneficial to other nations, less mature, in their political evolution and that simply does not feel right, from both an instinctive and moral perspective.

There was a time in my life when I had to rely on others for their strength. In other words, I needed others to be strong when I, myself, could not be. When I talk to my psychiatrist these days about my "condition", she says to me, "instead of thinking of what you have as a disability, think of it as a superpower instead." So that is what I do. I am very grateful to have the opportunity now to be strong (for/with others) because I can be, therefore, I will be. My specific excellency is connecting knowledge, knowledge is now my power and this is what I am choosing to do with my newfound power.

By: Heather Sakaki

Date: March 2, 2021