ABSTRACT
This chapter frames the study of civilisations by historians and political scientists, through the theoretical prism of gemeinschaft and gesellschaft. It surveys ancient mythology and religious stories as the oldest recognition of the eternal struggle of civilisation to establish order and engage with chaos. The chapter explores the theories on the cyclical development of philosophers, historians, and political scientist. It develops a theory on the four seasons of civilisations, framed through gemeinschaft and gesellschaft. The most prominent historians and political scientists exploring civilisations developed their theses on a cyclical pattern of rise, decline, and rebirth. The birth of a culture is referred to as spring, the burgeoning vitality of high culture represents summer, maturity of civilisation is epitomised by autumn, while senility and decay is symbolised by winter. Civilisations rise when the interdependent relationship with the traditional and modern is preserved and nurtured, as the decaying past is reborn in a vigorous and powerful youth.
