We might call “civilization” the state of humanity since the agricultural revolution. Civilization is a complex society that often spans entire states.
Prior to the advent of [[capitalism]], we could speak of distinct “civilizations”, such as “European civilization” as opposed to “Ottoman” or “Chinese” civilization. [[Ancient Greece]] and [[ancient Rome]] were distinct “civilizations.” These categorizations are somewhat problematic when you begin to look into the deep history, but this is how the concept is used.
Modern civilization spans the globe and is not bounded by borders or language. This is due to the homogenizing nature of [[capitalism]].
The word “civilization” comes from the Latin words civis (“citizen”) and civitas “city.”