PEAK CIVILISATION

Historians will no doubt ask themselves "when did Western civilisation reach its zenith?" But can we as un-objective participants do the same? Surely there are plenty of signs that social cohesion and harmony are and have broken down in plenty of countries. 
Duane Elgin in his book "Voluntary Simplicity" proposes four stages in the life cycle of civilisations:
  
  Stage 1 - High growth, "Springtime", Era of faith
  Stage 2 - Full blossoming, "Summer", Era of reason
  Stage 3 - Initial decline, "Autumn",  Era of cynicism
  Stage 4 - Breakdown, "Winter", Era of despair


Clearly, different countries will experience this process differently, as will areas within countries depending on a multitude of factors such as economic viability, governance and historical inheritance. Thus it may be easier to reach a conclusion on this question by examining individual states or perhaps regions and defining their likely stage according to the above model.  


As Britain led the way into the industrial era it might appear likely that it would also lead the field as regards the decline of industrialism and the de-civilisation process.Thus one might conclude that the departure of Britain from India in 1947 marked the high tide of British civilisation. Another analysis could propose that Margaret Thatcher's premiership defined the start of Stage 3 of the model. And, although a relatively immature democracy, post-WW2 saw the US overtake Britain as its economy and infrastructure grew and it replaced Britain as the major player on the world stage. If we are looking to define, on a micro-historical level, the equivalent US peak-civilisation moment might be Ronald Reagan's presidency which paralleled Thatcher's reign in Britain.  


But for me, what is most interesting is not academic accuracy in pinpointing the moment in time when our civilisation started its decline. After all, other commentators could equally justifiably suggest that World War I and II marked the turning point into stage 3 or perhaps even the Luddite struggles of the 19th century. Others will debate over the likely start of Stage 4- which, many believe, myself included, we have now moved into. But, of greater interest to me is the challenge that these momentous changes present to those living through them. 


In this regard, one question to ask is whether we have any choice over these changes and the process they represent, or are they, like evolution, a structural feature of our species, over which we have no control. The obvious repost would be that if we have free will then the future is in our hands, not some nebulous "fate". I would suggest that, either way it makes sense to respond constructively.


Thus, as institutions, corporations and governments collapse under the weight of complex bureaucracy and inertia, openings will appear that individuals and communities can exploit. Already, we see examples of saprophytic activities exploiting the waste and excess inherent in the consumer culture- people living off the waste food of supermarkets; others scavenging materials for re-use. I myself have often grasped these opportunities.


Nevertheless, I would suggest that there is also merit in helping lay the foundations to a new order by developing "parallel communities". Many of the building blocks for these already exist- eco-villages, alternative currencies, the Freeman movement, alternative media and the many spiritual communities. Perhaps the biggest challenge for this "parallel" approach is that of disengagement from the dominant economic model. This is vital if the destructive economic juggernaut is to be starved of oxygen before it chokes us