An Edible History of Humanity

Standage explains that it is dangerous to think of hunter-gatherers in an idyllic way or to perpetuate the “noble savage” myth of 18th-century Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who suggested that the hunter-gatherer way of life is a more peaceful and egalitarian lifestyle than what is found in agricultural societies. Standage makes clear that hunter-gatherer cultures are not perfect or always peaceful. Rather, he advocates for approaching these cultures as an interesting contrast to modern cultures that invite questions about how farming changed human life.

The introduction of agriculture changed how humans interacted both with the natural world and each other. Early farming communities evolved into complex structures with hierarchies of power. Rather than persisting as small villages in which everyone worked together to secure harvest, societies grew into cities in which some people handled farming while others filled new roles. Streamlined farming practices led to a surplus of food that Standage argues was the beginning of ruling elites: “With agriculture, people settled down; with intensification, they divided into rich and poor, rulers and farmers” (32). Society divided into specialized positions, and the wealthy elite moved further away from working with the land.

Like the development of agriculture, the evolution of power structures within societies was gradual.