Diamond starts this chapter with the case study of the Moriori and Maori people of the Polynesian islands. Its a perfect experiment to prove his point, because both originated from a previous farming society that immigrated to two different islands. The Moriori had to revert to a low-density hunter gatherer society (because of the colder climate) and the Maori intensified their agriculture because of the abundance of their island. Simply put, more resources leads to a high-density population subsisted by farming, allowing nonproducers to cultivate technology and government.
The author points to 6 inherit characteristics of the Polynesian islands that led to differential development: climate (influences agriculture), geological type (soil type and mineral deposits), marine resources, area (influences population size and density), terrain fragmentation and isolation (influences peace vs. war mentality).
These factors led to variations in subsistence. These in turn led to variable population densities (agriculture leads to high density, hunter-gatherer leads to low). High density allows nonproducers to exist to allow more technology, greater social complexity (classes) and political organization.
An interesting note is the explanation of the large stone monuments of Easter Island. According to Diamond's theory, this was only possible in a high-density population were a political force could have conscripted such intensive labor.
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