So far this term, we have seen how power and authority have developed to serve the needs of complex civilizations. The result of these developments has been the creation of class-based, hierarchical human societies. People have been distributed among different levels of society, and these levels have acquired different amounts of status that have resulted in a hierarchy of 'high,' 'middle,' and 'low' social classes. Social classes can be determined by many different things. People in society can be separated into classes by economic differences, as modern-day Americans typically are. People can also be separated by the social status of the family into which one was born, as most societies of the past were. Other criteria can come into play as well, but in the end societies based on hierarchical class structures have provided the background for human life since civilization began.
Just about everyone's place in past societies was usually determined by the social class into which an individual was born. Each person had an occupation and place in the social structure that was pre-determined by generations of custom and tradition. This fact illustrates an important point of difference between the modern world and that of the past, namely, that there was little, if any, opportunity to "move up" in the world. However, like today the possiblity of "moving down" the social ladder existed. Each social group or class had its own duties and responsibilties. These took precedence over the interests or 'rights' of an individual. The concept of "individual rights" is a very recent historical development, dating from about the seventeenth century.
The differences between people in societies were not only determined by social class, but also by gender. Most historical cultures were patriarchal, or male dominated. Women have always been crucial to the maintainence of civilized existence, but their roles have largely been subordinate to those of men.
To gain a profound understanding of human civilization, it is essential to understand the nature of class differences and of their consequences for particular groups in past societies. This week's theme will deal with these issues and will focus on the role of women in some past cultures.
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2. Interpretation of Images.
3. Paper Assignment: The Tao. Due 3-19-2009
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