Lewis Mumford's
Technics and Civilization (1934) is a massive history of technological development in the Western world in three phases: the Eotechnic, from AD 1000 to the 18th century, which was characterized by diverse, unsystematized inventions and ideas; the Paleotechnic, from the late 18th century to the late 19th, which was "reckless to the point of barbarism" in its war, death, brute strength, and industrialization; and the Neotechnic, which began in the early 20th century and is hopeful that new alloys, electricity, communication technologies will lead to better, more organic social and technological projects. Throughout, Mumford argues that "
No matter how completely technics relies upon
the objective procedures of the sciences, it does not form an independent
system, like the universe: it exists as an element in human culture and it
promises well or ill as the social groups that exploit it promise well or ill." He advocates a more egalitarian technopolitics via an increased understanding and assimilation of the machine.
