Models of Empire The Conrad-Demarest and Jared Diamond Models of the Rise and Fall of Empires.

Models of Empire Two Models of Empires Complete model Conrad-Demarest Jared Diamond Complete model Traces reasons for both rise and fall of Empire Ideas of geographic luck provide background for rise of Empires Focuses on why empires fall

The Conrad-Demarest Model Preconditions which MUST exist but do not necessarily lead to empire building. Adequate resources Environmental mosaic Some form of government which coalesces power Power vacuum Large military potential

The Model, Cont Many places, including the Greek Poleis met the pre- conditions mentioned, what causes an empire to “start?” Ideology! Religious, philosophical, anything that will help coalesce the masses behind the idea of expansion. Ideology must endorse and justify warfare and expansion.

It’s all about the Booty (the money kind)… Ideology is great, but what does empirical expansion get you? Wealth from plunder, from trade, from availability and control of new resources, and from coercive tribute. Most often enjoyed by the wealthy, but also distributed to the masses. This “trickle-down” economic benefit serves to cement social hierarchies. (Everybody’s happy, why revolt?)

Expansion (con’t) Expansion also allows you to increase population More food and land available Less disease initially as the population density goes down, and food availability goes up. State-sponsored population increase. More populated areas tend to be more powerful than less- populated ones. Native population supported by outlying areas

Size leads to trouble The bigger the empire, the more costly the expansion Empires that stop expanding and do not change their ideology tend to begin collapsing Collapse tends to begin at the edges and creep towards the center. Empires are inherently unstable!

The Diamond Model Why do Empires Fall? Humans Negatively impact the environment Examples—deforestation, extinction of species, soil depletion/erosion Climate Change Example: Ice Age, Little Ice Age Friendly Neighbors on Borders Leaving or Cut Off Possibly due to climate changes or conflict

Diamond, continued Influx of Hostile Neighbors on Borders Dysfunctional cultural and political practices Unable to recognize issues contributing to erosion of society and create solutions Practices that often exacerbate other issues, such as diminishing natural resources Criticisms of Diamond He’s a biologist—no surprise that his emphasis is on the environment and fall of empires due to abuse of natural resources Lacks appreciation for the ways in which culture enables societies to overcome environmental issues.

Applying the Conrad-Demarest Model- an example Qin China had all the necessary preconditions- good agriculture, environmental mosaic, power vacuum that resulted from warring states period, Ideology? Legalism Booty- ever-normal granary system, public works projects, gifts, etc. Empire grew under Han times to huge size

Survival of the Han Empire Ideological change! Confucianism… Ritual Hierarchy Exam system theoretically rewards the able, allows some social mobility Filial Piety Mandate of Heaven Public works projects

Eventual Fall Gap between rich and poor increases Taxation and famine forces increasing #’s of peasants off the land Disease sets in (plague) From Peasant point of view, hierarchy no longer meeting their needs Exam system ends- always a bad sign! Invasion of the nomads and peasant rebellion.

Now, how about Diamond? What happened to the Maya? Environment played the preeminent role in their downfall. Mayan Empire fell to classic “Malthusian” crisis. What does that mean? Their population outstripped their resources and capability to support the number of people attempting to exist off of the land. Rigid Mayan religion/hierarchy unable/unwilling to react. This is all a best guess.