A civilization is a society characterized by complex cultural features such as urban development, social stratification, governmental structures, and symbolic systems of communication. The process of building a civilization begins when people begin to use symbols to communicate. The symbols of the culture help the citizens of the society to relate with each other. Ultimately, the development of these systems leads to the creation of an ideal civilization. Here is a brief explanation of what civilization means.
Throughout history, civilizations have been the result of human cooperation. Often, a social mechanism gathered the surpluses of farmers and distributed them to non-farmers. Today, the word is a countable noun, and is commonly used to describe the progress of a society. In a modern sense, civilizations produce refined art produced by skilled craftsmen who are not farmers. In order to make these products, a society must have a large surplus of food.
The term “civilization” is easier to describe than to define. Originally, it was a noun meaning the progress of humanity as a whole. Later, it became a countable noun in the nineteenth century and has continued to grow in usage. Despite the plural meaning of the word, “civilization” still has a broad range of definitions. The most common use of the term is to refer to a culture or a country.
A civilization is defined as any distinct society, not just a single culture. A culture is a complex society and a civilization is one with the most elaborate customs and ideas. A civilization may also have an organized religion, professional art, and complex customs associated with its elite. But, it is the quality of a civilization that makes it a civilization, and not its size or number. The modern definition of a civilization is a more comprehensive term that includes other aspects of the culture.
The word civilization has its origins in Latin and French. The word civilise refers to a free minority. Historically, this group was free of the burdens of producing food or engaging in economic activities, such as trade. This entails a society’s ability to produce its own food and to make its own clothing. It also creates a centralized government. A civilization is one that has its own laws and institutions.
In the 19th century, the word civilization gained popularity and became a synonym for “freedom”. By the middle of the century, it was used as a verb, with the plural form being common in Europe and North America. The term “civilization” can refer to both culture and civilizational aspects of a society. However, a nation-state can be considered a “civilization” if it has a government that has a strong social structure.