A Millennium of Peace and Development without Wars in Human History: Vinča Culture

Abstract

Human societies that were most efficient were primarily cooperative rather than competitive. The Vinča culture in Neolithic Old Europe is one more documented peaceful and egalitarian cooperative society in history. Vinča was the largest inhabited settlement in Old Europe and the entire Neolithic culture was named after it. The successful trade in Neolithic Europe was probably motivated by the spiritual components of the value of the goddess figurine products. The author argues that along with trade and agriculture, the main driver of the development of Neolithic society and Vinča culture was the authentic type of leadership. There was no privileged position or distinct status for leaders. The leadership was based on responsibilities, the leader was responsible to put the acquired knowledge in the service of the development of the whole community. Undoubtedly, the leadership expressed in the Vinča culture is one of the main reasons for its peaceful progress.