Guns, Germs, and Steel

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" is a book by Jared Diamond that explores the factors that shaped the modern world. It argues that geography, environment, and resources, rather than racial or cultural superiority, significantly influenced the development of societies. Diamond explains how the availability of domesticable plants and animals, along with the diffusion of technology and ideas, led to disparities in wealth and power. The title symbolizes three elements—military technology (guns), infectious diseases (germs), and the development of industry (steel)—that contributed to European dominance and the patterns of global history. The book encourages readers to think about historical inequalities in a new light.