Final answer:
The rise of cities in the Neolithic did not delay the development of capitalism; it laid the groundwork for the social and technological advancements needed for complex economic systems like capitalism to later develop.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rise of cities in the Neolithic did not delay the development of capitalism. In fact, the development of early settlements and cities facilitated advanced social structures, specialization of labor, and technological innovations that would eventually support capitalist economies. The formation of these cities, such as those in ancient Mesopotamia, provided the societal organization and surplus resources necessary for more complex economic systems to arise.
However, the first true cities, like Uruk in the land of Sumer, did not immediately lead to capitalism. This economic system began to take a recognizable form much later, particularly marked by the establishment of the Bank of Amsterdam in 1609, and further defined by the philosophies of Adam Smith.
Therefore, the rise of cities in the Neolithic period is not seen as a delay to the development of capitalism; instead, it set the foundational social and technological advancements that would eventually contribute to the rise of economic systems like capitalism.