The Conrad Demarest Model Using a representative model to teach comparative empires.

Background Geoffrey Conrad Arthur Demarest Latin-Americanists inspired by the Inca and Aztec empires Model Can be applied to all empires and used to compare and contrast empires or to trace changes and continuity over time. Gives a scaffold for kids

The 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… 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.

Booty 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!

A demonstration The Mongol Empire rose from the Steppes of Asia Preconditions present: Land, no dominant state, competing tribal and clan identities, military might in the horsemanship of the nomads United by Chengis Khan after a Tribal Confederation meeting.

Applying the Model Assyrian, Helenic,Romans, Han, Gupta Islamic Caliphates Transatlantic European Empires Ottoman, Mughal, Safavids Global empire (British empire) Russian expansion eastward US expansion westward Aztec and Inca

Applying the 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 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 another one? Compare the Spanish Empire in 1450-1800 to the Ottoman or Russian empires of the same time period.

Questions? Barbara.Ozuna@fwisd.org 817-922-6617