The Urban Process

In chapter two “Social Transformation of the Territory,” Liverani argues that the “Urban Revolution” that took place during the Uruk period affected the social structure in two ways. First of all, it allowed the rise of large public apparatuses that administered and controlled the economic perspective. Secondly, it emancipated the management of labor and the private sector. In this chapter the author states that the “Urbanization” was associated with the rise of political and religious figures, the increase of labor specialization as well the concentration of important figures or ministers and other individuals regarded as “Non-producers of food.” While Liverani helps readers understand the urbanization process, his argument about the effects of urbanization in the social structure needs more analysis.

At the beginning of chapter two, Liverani introduces two diagrams that explained the two possibilities that sought to explain the rise of urbanization. While he believes that the second diagram (pg 21) ensembles the transformation to an urban state, on page 25, he affirms that the diagram does not apply to the entire population due the separation of villages and urban centers. Liverani explains that while the urban centers’ social and economic structures are clear to examine, the diagram on page 21 does not apply to the population that remained in local communities and villages. In other words, these were not part of the urban centers. Liverani clearly defines to what extend his arguments can be applied when referring to the urban process.

Despite the values that Liverani provides, there is an element in his discussion that seems that it needs more in depth analysis. Liverani states that the urban development “liberated” the private sector but he also affirms that the economic sector was controlled directly or indirectly by the temple. He affirms that the private and the public sector were different but he did not explain in depth the origin of the private sector. This gives the readers the idea that the private sector was composed of individuals such as ministers and bureaucrats that were liked to the temple.