Arnold Joseph Toynbee

Arnold Joseph Toynbee, CH (English: Arnold Joseph Toynbee, /ˈtɔɪnbi/; April 14, 1889 – October 22, 1975), British historian. His uncle was Arnold Toynbee (1852-1883), a historian who specialized in the history of economic development, so he is sometimes called Little Toynbee to distinguish him. Toynbee wrote prolifically, among which his twelve volumes of "Historical Studies" are the most brilliant. His review of history contradicted the concept of national supremacy and advocated that civilization is the unit of history; he divided world history into 26 civilizations, and asserted that the reason for the rise of civilization is that it successfully responded to environmental challenges under the leadership of a small number of creators including elite leaders.