Agriculture allows for population growth from "summary" of Guns Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond
Agriculture was a game-changer for human societies. Before the development of agriculture, our ancestors were hunter-gatherers, constantly on the move in search of food. This lifestyle limited the size of their groups, as they could only support a small population with the resources available in their immediate surroundings. However, the transition to agriculture allowed humans to settle in one place and cultivate crops for food. This shift meant that people no longer had to constantly roam in search of food, as they could now rely on the abundance of crops grown on their land. This stability led to a surplus of food, which in turn enabled population growth. With the ability to produce more food than they needed for immediate consumption, human populations began to increase. This population growth was made possible by the development of agriculture, as it provided a reliable food source that could sustain larger numbers of people. As populations grew, societies became more complex. People were able to specialize in different tasks, such as farming, crafting, or governing, because the surplus of food from agriculture allowed for this specialization. This specialization of labor further accelerated societal development and innovation.- Agriculture was the catalyst for population growth and the advancement of human societies. It allowed for larger groups of people to live together in one place, which in turn led to increased social complexity and technological advancements. Without the development of agriculture, human history would have taken a drastically different course.
