Civilization on Trial

by Arnold J. Toynbee

Tho each of the sections deals with a different problem or aspect of history, the book still achieves a unity of outlook, aim & idea facing the question: does history repeat itself?
Preface
My view of history
The present point in history
Does history repeat itself?
The Graeco-Roman civilization
The unification of the world & the change in historical perspective
The dwarfing of Europe
The international outlook
Civilization on trial
Russia's Byzantine heritage
Islam, the West & the future
Encounters between civilizations
Christianity & civilization
The meaning of history for the soul

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Religion, World History, Politics, Cultural

271 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1948

About the author

Not the same as Arnold Toynbee, economist and nephew of Arnold Joseph Toynbee

British educator Arnold Joseph Toynbee noted cyclical patterns in the growth and decline of civilizations for his 12-volume Study of History (1934-1961).

He went to Winchester college and Balliol college, Oxford.

During both world wars, he worked for the foreign office. He additionally published Nationality and the War (1915), The Armenian Atrocities: The Murder of a Nation (1915), The German Terror in France: An Historical Record (1917), and Turkey, a Past and a Future (1917). He attended the peace conference of Paris in 1919 as a delegate.

From 1919 to 1924, Arnold J. Toynbee served as professor of modern Greek and Byzantine at King's college, London. From 1925, Oxford University Press published The Survey of International Affairs under the auspices of the royal institute of international affairs, and Toynbee, professor, oversaw the publication. From 1925, Toynbee served as research professor and director at the royal institute of international affairs. He published The Conduct of British Empire Foreign Relations since the Peace Settlement (1928).

His first marriage to Rosalind Murray produced three sons and ended in divorce in 1946. Toynbee, professor, then married Veronica M. Boulter, his research assistant. He published Civilization on Trial (1948).

Toynbee served as research professor and director at the royal institute of international affairs until 1955.
People published best known lectures of Toynbee, professor, in memory of Adam Gifford as An Historian's Approach to Religion (1956). His massive work examined development and decay. He presented the rise and fall rather than nation-states or ethnic groups. According to his analysis, the welfare depends on ability to deal successfully with challenges.

He also published Democracy in the Atomic Age (1957), Christianity among the Religions of the World (1958), and Between Niger and Nile (1965).

He died in York, North Yorkshire, England.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a collection of essays written in the late 1940's collected together, so there is no unifying theme. But Toynbee shows himself at the top of his game. Here we have his classic 'Christianity and Civilization,' as well as bold and mostly accurate predictions about the future of Europe and Islam. For those without the time or desire to read his larger works, this is a good place to get Toynbee in protein bar form.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this concurrently with the same author's magnum opus "A Study of History", which even in abridged form took me a couple months to read what with it being one of the most ambitious nonfiction works I have ever read.

This essay collection is much easier to read. It does present Toynbee's theories about why some states collapse and others solve existential crises in a more concise form, but in a context that I imagine people today will find rather boring: Most of them discuss the extremely specific geopolitical challenges facing the British government in the immediate aftermath of World War 2. As a matter of fact several essays were originally given as lectures to the Fabian Society, an influential British social-democratic think tank. However, that does make "Civilization on Trial" useful for people who want a fly-on-the-wall insight into what British academics and politicians were thinking about their country's place in the world after WW2. For instance, a lot of energy is spent on encouraging detente between the US and USSR as well as defending the United Nations which was a new and unproven institution at the time of writing. Toynbee also argues intensely that Britain, France and the other old colonial empires should have done more to accept their former colonies' independence and stop interfering in their internal political affairs.

The most interesting parts are found later on, where Toynbee looks at how many of the basic assumptions about politics and attendant ways of running state institutions originating in the Byzantine Empire were copied wholesale by Tsarist Russia and continued in largely the same form by the USSR! Another essay examines how different majority-Muslim countries react to Western cultural influence looking at Saudi Arabia and modern Turkey as case stories, containing some sharp analysis herein.

Looking at "Civilization on Trial" in the context of tracing its practical political prescriptions to the analysis found in more in-depth form in "A Study of History" yields some interesting conclusions, by the way. The best example is how Toynbee's distrust of aspiring universal empires, after noticing how such states usually suffer a traumatic large collapse with resulting human suffering on an exceptionally large scale when facing a crisis their institutions are inadequately equipped to handle, shines through in every single opinion on the Cold War to be found in here. Something that might be an applicable lesson now that a new Cold War between the US and China is heating up. (On a related note: This book was written when the Kuomintang had not yet been exiled to Taiwan and the People's Republic of China had not yet been proclaimed, which shows!)

People interested in advanced geopolitical analysis and historiography, as well as how British elites have adapted to their country's declining fortune after WW2, might want to read this though not all of the content is as relevant to making sense of the world as it was when "Civilisation on Trial" was first published.

[vhatos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Звичайно, що легко критикувати есеї історика, написані одразу після Другої світової війни, у яких він аналізував минуле цивілізацій та намагався передбачити розвиток людства. Дещо Тойнбі передбачив, але деякі його прогнози виявилися неправильними. Зокрема, не виправдилися його передбачення об'єднання ісламського світу (панісламізм). Мені більше сподобався його аналіз впливу минулих цивілізацій на сьогодення. Зовсім не сподобалося, таке собі, неприховане запобігання перед СРСР, звинувачення Західного світу загалом в агресіях проти Росії. Автор не бачив різниці між Руссю (Київською) та Московією (Росією).

[Reynold Witmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these essays are nearly irrelevant, some are timeless. I'm arriving at the realization that Toynbee is not a worldclass historian. He is a Christian mystic cleverly disguised as a world class historian.

[Halilcan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biraz elitist ve Hristiyan aşığı olmasan seni daha fazla sevebilirdim Toynbee

[TimD · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christianity and Civilization chapter ended with an awkward and highly-speculative apologist sounding rant on the benefits of Christianity for humanity. Other than that, an insightful and worthwhile read.

[Thanh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was published in 1940 but it's still remain its value until now aday. It's really valuable book for people who are interested in histody book.

[Дмитрий Лобанов · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the good guys I read.

His thoughts about religion, history and civilization are good for any fanatic person.

I think that this book can be a meeting point for several religious people.

[Cem Yüksel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toynbee'nin klasik tek yönlü bakışı ile yazılmış olsa da , o bakışı anlamak için okunabilir.

[Song · Rating 5 out of 5]

汤因比这本书是写于1947年的一本历史思想论文集。当时第二次世界大战刚刚结束，而美苏的对峙已经开始，惨烈的大战和暗淡的前景触动了历史学家的敏感。汤因比从他独特的“文明”为单位的历史概念出发，指出了人类续存面临的系列挑战，和为了文明的继续发展而应有的态度。对于俄罗斯、伊斯兰和宗教的作用，作者在70年前说过的话似乎都应验了。

[Joe Biscoe IV · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent book about different civilizations and their application to current (mid 1900's ) history.

[Andrew Noselli · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I didn't so much write a review as I condensed his text into a short few paragraphs, probably because I consider these passages of crucial importance.)

In this book's last chapter, to me it is by far the most important one, Arnold Toynbee asks us to consider the four higher religions, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism: it appears that all four are products of the encounter between Graeco-Roman civilization and its contemporaries. Christianity and Islam arose as alternative responses to the Syrian world of Graeco-Roman penetration: Christianity was a nonviolent response, Islam a violent response. In a parallel fashion, Buddhism and Hinduism arose as alternative responses to the Hindu world of the same Graeco-Roman penetration: Buddhism was a nonviolent response, Hinduism a violent response.

Toynbee goes on to highlight the finding of Sir James Frazier, who showed that Greek and Roman society was built on the conception of the subordination of the individual to the community, of the citizen to the state; it set the safety of the state above the safety of the individual whether in this world or in the world to come. If they shrank from the supreme sacrifice of their lives in the interest of the state, choosing their own personal worth over the devotion to public service, it never occurred to them that they acted otherwise than basely by preferring their personal existence to the interest of their country. All this was changed by the spread of Oriental religions which inculcated the communion of the soul with God and its eternal salvation as the only objects worth living for, objects with which the prosperity and even the existence of the state sank into insignificance. The inevitable result of the selfish and immoral doctrine was to withdraw the devotee more and more from public service, to concentrate his thoughts on his own spiritual emotions and to breed in him a contempt for the present life, which he regarded as merely a probation for the better and eternal life.

Toynbee says that, not only does he agree with Frazier, but would us to agree with him, that the tide of Christianity has been ebbing and that our post-Christian Western secular civilization that has emerged is a civilization of the same order as a pre-Christian Graeco-Roman civilization. This is to open up a second possible alternate view of the relation between Christianity and civilization which is opposed to the view that Christianity has been the destroyer of civilization, but promoted the view that Christianity appears in the role of civilization's humble servant.

What should we do in our attempt to escape from a near certain death? Toynbee asks us to consider the statement of the wife of the emperor Justinian, who said to him, when the capital was full war and the enemies of fast approaching: "You can sail away if you like, the ship is at the quay and the sea is still open, but I am going to stay and see it out, because the empire is a fine winding-sheet, and a finer winding-sheet is the Kingdom of God--finder because that is a winding-sheet from which there is a resurrection." The bedsheet or winding-sheet she mentions that they share as wedded partners is a symbol of the intimate relationship between them, thus becoming, in turn, a symbol of death and it ultimately creates an ominous atmosphere over the person of the emperor, one that lingers on until his death.

I think there may be a chrysalis-like element in the constitution of the Christian church which may have a quite different purpose from that of assisting the reproduction of civilizations. In fact, it seems to me that the breakdowns and disintegrations of civilizations might be stepping-stones to higher things on the religious plane. After all, it is as Aeschylus proclaims, it is through suffering the learning comes and, as it is written in the New Testament, those whom the Lord loveth he chastises; and scourges every son whom he receiveth. Personally, I do not know whether Moses and Abraham were historical characters, but I think it can be taken as certain that they represent historical stages of religious experience, and that they may be understood as men of great sorrows who may be understood as precursors of Christ in that the suffering through which they won the enlightenment were stations of the Cross in anticipation of the crucifixion. That is an old idea, but it is also a very new one, according to Toynbee.

If religion is a chariot where the wheels on which it is mounted move towards Heaven by encountering periods of downfall of civilization on earth, then it appears that the movement of civilizations on earth may be cyclic and recurrent, while the movement of religion may be on a single continuous upward line. The continuous upward movement of religion may be served and promoted by the cyclic movement of civilization round the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

On this view of the history of religion and of the civilization that supported them throughout the ages, then there will be no reason to suppose that Christianity itself will be superseded by some distinct, separate and higher religion which will serve as the chrysalis between the death of the present Western civilization and the birth of its children. Far from that, it seems to me that if our secular Western civilization perishes, Christianity might not only be expected to endure but to grow in wisdom and stature as the result of a fresh experience of secular catastrophe. That is the fundamental reason why I wrote Postmodern Christianity in 1995, under the direction of my advisor Professor Chilton.

Supposing the Christian Church were understood as a species of local and ephemeral society that gave place in turn to a new species of society embodied in a single world-wide or enduring representative in a new form, wouldn't that mean that the Kingdom of Heaven would be established here on Earth? It seems to me that Communism is a concept which, like the concept of Democracy, are leafs taken out of the book of Christianity that have been torn out and misread.

It is because spirit implies spiritual relations that Christian theology has completed the Jewish doctrine of the unity of God with the Christian doctrine of the trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity is the theological way of expressing the revelation that God is spirit; the doctrine of the Redemption is the theological way of expressing the revelation that God is love. If this were not so, then the innumerable generations of men who never had the opportunity of receiving the illumination conveyed by Christianity and the other higher religions would have been born and died without the chance of salvation, which is the true end of man and the true purpose of life here on Earth.

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toynbee walks through human histories of the past few millenia like a gardener flushed with the cultivated delights of the soil, pointing to this flower or that stalk with evident delight and intrigue. He appreciates the wild, interconnected mess of it all. An ethnologist, linguist, theologist, biologist, zoosemioticist, or ecologist might feel perfectly at home with Toynbee, drawing connections across the branches of the flowering, shared experience of life.

He also draws some astute conclusions, which -- right or wrong, as they pan out -- are worthy of consideration. In particular, one thinks of Einstein's observation that with the development of the atom bomb by man, everything has changed for man except the nature man itself. Toynbee asserts that the tendency among a quickly-multiplying species such as humans seems to be an increasingly inter-connected social web, which would be perhaps the only logical outcome of more people living more closely together as the population rises.

Toynbee views a globalized society as a likely outcome, but he reserves judgement about how or whether this may come about. It may be that two powerful states oppose one another until a breaking point at which there is general collapse. There could be enough people in states outside this bipolar conflict to insulate the power-hungry states from each other, as China and Rome were insulated from one another. Perhaps a multi-state complex will provide stability. States here may also be stand-ins for any organized social group large enough that it would not be cohesive without some social glue, such as values, ideologies, or a shared worldview.

One of the pleasures of reading Toynbee, aside from his multi-disciplinary predisposition, is his joy in trying on other people's shoes. He wonders what a Turkish or Chinese ruler must have thought of Europe's maritime ascendancy before it was at all clear that there was indeed any ascendancy in Europe at all.

Perhaps the most contentious aspect of Toynbee's appraisal may be his views on religion. It can hardly be denied that religion or spiritual belief is a common feature among societies. I would argue that it serves important evolutionary roles, such as reverence for nature preventing overreach of resource use or appreciation for one's small place in the universe mirroring our need for community and ecosystem partners for survival.

A person may replace "God" in Toynbee's work with anything demanding a similar magnitude of reverence: Nature, the Universe, Life, Being, or whatnot.

He observes that while Civilizations rise and fall, they bundle some core of their culture in religion to keep it alive in uncertain times ahead, like a message in a bottle cast to sea. He notes that while Civilizations have a fairly short lifespan, religions are longer-lived, and he asserts that over the course of the cyclical rise and fall of civilizations there seems to be a linear development of religion toward an ever-more universal theology.

This may be because the rise and fall of religions occurs over a much longer time span than the rise and fall of civilizations. Certainly, there would be a good argument that the Christianity of a 20th-Century American Baptist, a 15th-century Russian Othodox Catholic, and a 3rd-century Greek would have been very different. Another explanation -- and the one Toynbee seems to favour -- is simply that as people ever-more closely blanket the world, religions also take on more aggrandized and more singular forms in order to stay relevant and maintain their place as the study of that which is greater than yet visible in the individual and the state.

[Kerem Sözen · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Civilization on Trial” contains some of the pieces that shaped the perspective which Arnold J. Toynbee has used in his works as a historian.

Toynbee’s primary argument is that history should not be confined to events, heroes and dates. These shall not be even remembered only in few centuries later, similarly we do not recognize every single military and political happening in Ancient Greece, however we usually recall the name of the civilization. Thus, the reality that gives history its unique features, to Toynbee, is civilizations.

In addition to that, he argues, civilizations should not be taken for granted as fully-completed things. Civilizations are made of “responses”, says Toynbee, to the challenges societies encountered. Military, economic, communicational, religious, onthological challenges are responded in such a civilization, which itself delivers a full understanding of world and mankind. Each civilization happens to claim to be the latest carrier of human knowledge and experience. History as a whole is the relations between civilizations, (sometimes in the shape of war sometimes of trade etc.) all of which claim to be placed in the center of the game. It is possible for new civilizations to be born from these encounters, responding its own challenges. One of the example is well-known to us: the “Western Civilization”.

Toynbee tends to suggest that “the West” is the son of Greco-Roman, Semitic and Celtic civilizations together, which all at the time proud to be the “summit of the history”. Therefore, Toynbee warns Westerners not to be arrogant with their response to the challenge of history, as the responses (can be referred to as civilizations) have something to say not only about a minority, but about entire mankind.

[Hafizur Rahman]

interest

[Kendal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monumental, though dated. Fun read to see how people thought 75 years ago.

[noblethumos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arnold Toynbee's "Civilization on Trial" presents a profound examination of the challenges faced by civilizations throughout history. Toynbee offers a comprehensive analysis of the rise and decline of civilizations, drawing upon historical, cultural, and philosophical insights. This review aims to provide an academic evaluation of Toynbee's arguments, discussing the book's strengths, weaknesses, and its significance within the fields of history, sociology, and cultural studies.


"Civilization on Trial" by Arnold Toynbee delves into the complex dynamics of civilizations and the forces that shape their rise, development, and ultimate decline. Toynbee proposes a cyclical view of civilizations, arguing that their growth and disintegration result from the interplay of various internal and external factors. He explores the significance of historical events, cultural shifts, and the role of individuals in shaping the destiny of civilizations.

Toynbee's work stands out for its ambitious scope and interdisciplinary approach. He engages with a wide range of civilizations from different time periods, drawing upon historical narratives, religious texts, and cultural artifacts to support his arguments. By integrating diverse sources of evidence, Toynbee constructs a rich tapestry of human experience, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of the complexities and trials faced by civilizations.


One of the notable strengths of "Civilization on Trial" lies in Toynbee's ability to synthesize vast amounts of historical and cultural information. He masterfully weaves together complex narratives, identifying patterns and recurrent themes that shed light on the rise and fall of civilizations. Toynbee's analytical rigor and attention to detail contribute to the book's scholarly depth, enriching our understanding of the forces at play in shaping human societies.

Moreover, Toynbee's work prompts readers to reflect on the broader implications of his findings for contemporary societies. By examining historical examples, he encourages critical introspection and stimulates discussions on the challenges faced by modern civilizations. Toynbee's ability to bridge the past and present enhances the relevance and significance of his analysis.


While "Civilization on Trial" offers a comprehensive analysis, it is not without its limitations. Some critics argue that Toynbee's approach may be overly deterministic, potentially overlooking the agency of individuals and the contingency of historical events. A more nuanced exploration of the interplay between structural factors and human agency would strengthen the book's analytical framework.

Additionally, Toynbee's writing style can be dense and scholarly, making it challenging for some readers to engage with his arguments. A more accessible presentation of ideas could broaden the book's reach and enable a wider audience to grapple with the complexities of civilization.


"Civilization on Trial" holds significant importance within the fields of history, sociology, and cultural studies as a seminal work that challenges conventional narratives about the rise and fall of civilizations. Toynbee's analysis stimulates critical reflections on the nature of human societies, the trials they face, and the possibilities for their survival and renewal. The book's contribution lies in its ability to foster discussions on the factors that shape the destiny of civilizations, encouraging scholars and readers to explore the lessons of the past for a better understanding of our present challenges.


Arnold Toynbee's "Civilization on Trial" offers a profound analysis of the trials faced by civilizations throughout history. While the book has its limitations, it stands as a significant contribution to the fields of history, sociology, and cultural studies, stimulating critical reflections on the rise, decline, and potential rebirth of civilizations. Toynbee's comprehensive examination of civilizations enhances our understanding of the complex forces at play in shaping the destiny of human societies.

GPT

[Jamal Alsawalhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

يتكون الكتاب من ثلاثة عشر مقال للمؤرخ المشهور أرنواد توينبي سجلت في الأربعينيات من القرن العشرين
يحاول فيها الكاتب دراسة مفهوم الحضارة و استخلاص العبر من الحضارات الرئيسية التي مرت عبر الزمن مثل,الحضارة الاسلامية, الحضارة البيزنطية,الحضارة الشرق آسيوية, و بالطبع الحضارة الرومانية الأغريقية
أحد أهداف هذه الدراسة معرفة اذا ما كان بالأمكان أن تتفادى الحضارة الغربية , التي أصبحت مركز العالم و الحضارة المسيطرة المهيمنة على جميع بقاع الأرض, أن تتفادى مصير الحضارات التي مرت و فشلت من قبلها
من ما لفت نظري المقالة العاشرة بعنوان" الاسلام, و الغرب, و المستقبل". في هذه المقالة يلخص الكاتب العلاقة بين الأسلام و الغرب منذ نشأته و حتى بداية القرن العشرين
هذه العلاقة لم تخلو من توتر, و كانت الأفضلية تتأرجح بين الفريقين.
و لكن مع النهضة الصناعية للغرب, تغيرت الامور, و اصبحت الحضارة الاسلامية في موقع دفاعي بحسب الكاتب, و ردة فعل الحضارة الاسلامية لهذا التفوق الغربي انقسم الى قسمين: فريق اتبع السياسة القديمة و فضل عدم تغيير الواقع مثل ما فعلت الحركة السنوسية والمهدية, و فريق اختار "التغرب" و تعلم المنهج الغربي لتطوير المجتمع, مثلما فعل محمد علي و مصفى كمال اتاتورك

[Shozab Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful upon the facts of how our known civilization emerged, connected with other civilizations and what have we truly learned from our history to make this planet a one province to solve all our problems, a one province of the Kingdom of the God.

Although I have found many inconsistencies upon the utopian solution provided by Toynbee.