Identifying four sources of power in human societies (ideological, economic, military and political), this multi-volume work traces their relationships throughout history. The subject of the first volume is the relationship between these sources of power in Neolithic times, ancient Near Eastern civilizations, the classical Mediterranean era and medieval Europe until the Industrial Revolution in England. This volume offers explanations of the origins of the state and social stratification, city-states, militaristic empires and the constant interaction between them, the world's salvation religions, and, finally, the distinctive dynamism of medieval and early modern Europe. The final chapters present generalizations about the nature of social development in general, the differing forms of social communities, and the role of classes and class struggles in history. This volume includes a new preface with the author's assessment of the influence and legacy of his work. Michael Mann is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is the author of such books as Power in the 21st Century: Conversations with John A. Hall (2011; Russian edition: M., 2014), Incoherent Empire (2003) and Fascists (2004). In 2006, his book The Dark Side of Democracy (2004; Russian edition: M., 2016) was awarded the. Barrington Moore, awarded by the American Sociological Society for the best book in comparative and historical sociology.