The traditional view of the rise of civilization was that farming developed in regions with the appropriate crops, and people no longer had to hunt to survive. Less people starved, and the population grew accordingly. This created more of a need for food, and so humans became ever more dependent on crop-growing. As a side-effect, it also produced a higher class with more leisure time. This higher class became scribes, craftsmen, and professional warriors.
But I've also heard that this was a myth*, and that hunter-gatherer societies had all the food they needed, with plenty of leisure time to socialize. It was only in certain regions which were devoid of game that farming was practiced. If this is true, why exactly did populations increase at all? Agriculture wouldn't explain anything.
*From Jared Diamond, I think, but I could be wrong. It was a long time ago.
But I've also heard that this was a myth*, and that hunter-gatherer societies had all the food they needed, with plenty of leisure time to socialize. It was only in certain regions which were devoid of game that farming was practiced. If this is true, why exactly did populations increase at all? Agriculture wouldn't explain anything.
*From Jared Diamond, I think, but I could be wrong. It was a long time ago.