The Pursuit of Power. Technology, Armed Force, and Society Since A.D. 1000

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In this synthesis of military, technological, and social history, William H. McNeill examines a millennium of upheaval, tracing the evolution of human dilemmas. He skillfully navigates from the crossbow—banned by the Church in 1139 for its lethality—to nuclear missiles, exploring the sociological impacts of military drill in the seventeenth century and the rise of the military-industrial complex in the twentieth. McNeill argues that the commercial transformation of the eleventh century increasingly aligned military activities with market forces, contrasting this with the emergence of command economies in contemporary times. While the work does not provide solutions to present issues, it offers insights and hypotheses that illuminate current fears, potentially guiding wiser actions. McNeill's vast erudition spans European, Chinese, and Islamic cultures, intertwining military, technological, socio-economic, and political developments. This grand synthesis highlights humanity's shared past, particularly regarding weapons and warfare, and emphasizes a collective stake in the future. The narrative reveals the paradox of human ingenuity applied to irrational ends, prompting reflection on why humanity has struggled to value its own existence.