Energy and Civilization: A History

564 Pages·2017·27.37 MB·English

by  Vaclav Smil

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This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Fri, 23 Jun 2017 07:58:51 UTC
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Energy and Civilization
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Energy and Civilization
A History
Vaclav Smil
The MIT Press
Cambridge, Massachusetts
London, England
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© 2017 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any elec-
tronic or mechanical means (including photocopying, recording, or information
storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from the publisher.
This book was set in Stone Sans and Stone Serif by Toppan Best-set Premedia Limited.
Printed on recycled paper and bound in the United States of America.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Smil, Vaclav, author.
Title: Energy and civilization : a history / Vaclav Smil.
Other titles: Energy in world history
Description: Cambridge, MA : The MIT Press, [2017] | Revised edition of: Energy in
world history / Vaclav Smil. 1994. | Includes bibliographical references and
index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016030742 | ISBN 9780262035774 (hardcover : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Power resources--History. | Power resources--Social aspects. |
Technology and civilization. | Energy consumption--Social aspects.
Classification: LCC TJ163.5 .S623 2017 | DDC 333.7909--dc23 LC record available
at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016030742
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Contents
Preface and Acknowledgments ix
1 Energy and Society 1
Flows, Stores, and Controls 4
Concepts and Measures 8
Complexities and Caveats 17
2 Energy in Prehistory 21
Foraging Societies 28
Origins of Agriculture 41
3 Traditional Farming 49
Commonalities and Peculiarities 52
Field Work 53
The Dominance of Grains 57
Cropping Cycles 62
Routes to Intensification 65
Draft Animals 66
Irrigation 76
Fertilization 82
Crop Diversity 85
Persistence and Innovation 87
Ancient Egypt 88
China 90
Mesoamerican Cultures 97
Europe 99
North America 106
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vi Contents
The Limits of Traditional Farming 110
Achievements 111
Nutrition 118
Limits 120
4 Preindustrial Prime Movers and Fuels 127
Prime Movers 130
Animate Power 132
Water Power 146
Wind Power 157
Biomass Fuels 163
Wood and Charcoal 164
Crop Residues and Dung 169
Household Needs 171
Food Preparation 172
Heat and Light 174
Transportation and Construction 177
Moving on Land 178
Oared Ships and Sail Ships 187
Buildings and Structures 197
Metallurgy 207
Nonferrous Metals 208
Iron and Steel 211
Warfare 217
Animate Energies 217
Explosives and Guns 222
5 Fossil Fuels, Primary Electricity, and Renewables 225
The Great Transition 228
The Beginnings and Diffusion of Coal Extraction 229
From Charcoal to Coke 234
Steam Engines 235
Oil and Internal Combustion Engines 245
Electricity 254
Technical Innovations 267
Coals 271
Hydrocarbons 274
Electricity 281
Renewable Energies 284
Prime Movers in Transportation 289
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Contents vii
6 Fossil-Fueled Civilization 295
Unprecedented Power and Its Uses 296
Energy in Agriculture 306
Industrialization 313
Transportation 324
Information and Communication 333
Economic Growth 344
Consequences and Concerns 351
Urbanization 352
Quality of Life 355
Political Implications 364
Weapons and Wars 368
Environmental Changes 381
7 Energy in World History 385
Grand Patterns of Energy Use 385
Energy Eras and Transitions 387
Long-Term Trends and Falling Costs 397
What Has Not Changed? 407
Between Determinism and Choice 417
Imperatives of Energy Needs and Uses 418
The Importance of Controls 425
The Limits of Energy Explanations 430
Addenda 443
Basic Measures 443
Scientific Units and Their Multiples and Submultiples 445
Chronology of Energy-Related Developments 446
Power in History 456
Bibliographical Notes 459
References 463
Name Index 531
Subject Index 535
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