In the late 1700s and early 1800s, during the French Revolution, "civilization" was used in the singular, never in the plural, and meant the progress of humanity as a whole.
A finais da década de 1700 e comezos de 1800, durante a revolución francesa, e en inglés, "civilization" refírese en singular, nunca en plural, porque se refire ao progreso da humanidade no seu conxunto.