The Civilizing Process, Nature, and Stadial Theory

This article examines the similarities and continuity between Enlightenment stadial theorizing on the rise of civilization and the later views of Norbert Elias, specifically in his famous book The Civilizing Process. The article discusses the emphasis of both these historical interpretations on the vital importance of the mastery of nature for the rise of civilization. A connection is made between these types of historiographical interpretations and the ideological roots of the current environmental crisis.