Question

in the view of archaeologist joseph tainter, all civilizations eventually collapse because: group of answer choices civilizations become too conservative and cannot adapt to changing conditions all civilizations eventually deplete their resources the costs of supporting them eventually exceed the benefits new civilizations with new technologies develop and destroy older civilizations through competition for resources

Answer 1

According to archaeologist Joseph Tainter, civilizations collapse because the costs of maintaining complex societal structures eventually outweigh the benefits, leading to decline due to factors like resource depletion and environmental degradation.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the view of archaeologist Joseph Tainter, civilizations eventually collapse because the costs of supporting them exceed the benefits. This perspective takes into account various factors that contribute to the decline of civilizations. Historical records and archaeological findings indicate that complex societies can face a range of challenges, such as resource depletion, environmental changes, climate change, disease, warfare, and societal complexities that become unsustainable over time. Civilizations like the Maya and the Indus Valley witnessed significant declines due to a combination of issues, including environmental degradation, diminished resources, and external pressures. Much like the fall of previous civilizations, this theory suggests that as civilizations grow and exhaust their resources to maintain complex structures, they inevitably face diminishing returns that can lead to collapse.