Question

Why are food surpluses necessary for civilization to develop?

Answer 1

Civilization, no matter how defined, cannot develop without a food surplus. A food surplus occurs when there is enough food for everyone to eat and also to store for the winter or for hard times. When there is no food surplus, every person has to spend all of their time farming, hunting or gathering enough food to feed themselves and to store for when there is less food available. If you spend all your time getting food, there is no time to build cities or develop any kind of social structure that involves jobs other than collecting food. There is no art, writing, education, etc. In order for these things, and therefore civilization, to develop, people have to have spare time, and in order to have spare time there must be a food surplus.