From Barbarism to Civilization: How Societies Tamed Violence Over Time

For much of human prehistory and history, violence was an everyday reality — from tribal warfare to brutal punishments and sanctioned cruelty. Steven Pinker’s "The Better Angels of Our Nature" offers an illuminating account of how this violent world gradually gave way to increasing peace through several transformative historical processes.

The Pacification Process began with the rise of the Leviathan — centralized states that established a monopoly on legitimate violence. By enforcing laws and punishing aggressors, these states reduced the chaos of private feuds and anarchy. This was the first major decline in violence, as societies transitioned from fragmented tribes to organized polities.

Following this, the Civilizing Process unfolded primarily in medieval and early modern Europe. Historians have documented a dramatic decline in homicide rates, with some regions seeing drops by factors of ten to fifty. Monarchs consolidated power, courts centralized justice, and social norms governing manners and self-restraint spread widely. These cultural changes helped individuals control violent impulses and resolve conflicts peacefully.

The Enlightenment sparked the Humanitarian Revolution, which questioned and overturned many socially sanctioned forms of violence. Judicial torture was abolished, slavery became increasingly condemned and outlawed, and new moral frameworks emerged emphasizing human rights and dignity. This revolution expanded compassion to include animals and children and gave rise to pacifist movements.

These historical epochs demonstrate that violence is not a fixed human condition but a challenge that societies have progressively addressed through institutions, culture, and reason. They also highlight the interplay between power, law, and social norms in shaping peaceful coexistence.

Understanding this history provides hope and guidance for continuing the work of peacebuilding in our own time.

For further reading, see Pinker’s comprehensive research and critical reviews from respected media. 2 4