Why did Leslie White view energy use as a measure of cultural development?

In the field of cultural anthropology, Leslie A. White proposed that cultural evolution is driven by technological progress, specifically the increased efficiency in harnessing energy per capita.12

White argued that as societies become more advanced, they develop more complex social organizations and consume greater amounts of energy. Consequently, he viewed energy consumption as the primary gauge or measure of cultural development. This perspective, central to neoevolutionism, posited that cultures evolve through a succession of stages based on their ability to capture and utilize energy from their environment. By focusing on these technological and energetic efficiencies, White sought to establish a coherent history of human development that challenged the prevailing historical particularism of his time.321