You’re in the Army, Now: Military Organization And Military Labor

Building blocks of political systems: review Rulership: the institution of kingship: Rulership: the institution of kingship: Divine kingship and intervention with the supernaturalDivine kingship and intervention with the supernatural Linked by kinship to competing elites: patronage, coercionLinked by kinship to competing elites: patronage, coercion Administrative systems: bureaucratic vs. delegational Administrative systems: bureaucratic vs. delegational Bureacrats as specialized laborBureacrats as specialized labor Linkages to tax systems, labor distribution, landholding systemsLinkages to tax systems, labor distribution, landholding systems

Political Processes Highly dynamic: competive, strategic Highly dynamic: competive, strategic Tensions between recruitment vs. control Tensions between recruitment vs. control Tensions between central authority and lesser elites Tensions between central authority and lesser elites Responding to changes, negative and positive: how flexible were early civilizations? How stable? Responding to changes, negative and positive: how flexible were early civilizations? How stable?

Legal Systems Grew out of the pre-existing legal/moral systems of earlier, kin-based societies Grew out of the pre-existing legal/moral systems of earlier, kin-based societies Functioned to maintain status quo, especially in terms of social order (hierarchy) Functioned to maintain status quo, especially in terms of social order (hierarchy) Legal courts or adjudicating bodies present in all these societies Legal courts or adjudicating bodies present in all these societies Hierarchically arranged (ie, lower level institutions passed judgements on to higher level ones) Hierarchically arranged (ie, lower level institutions passed judgements on to higher level ones) Definitions of both crime and sanction (punishment), and how formally codified either was, highly variable across cultures Definitions of both crime and sanction (punishment), and how formally codified either was, highly variable across cultures Also highly variable across classes within a single culture Also highly variable across classes within a single culture Aztec Courts “There was a system of lesser courts, whose verdicts could be appealed to a supreme judicial council. This council had 80 days in which to resolve appeals, and would consult with the ruler before handing down its judgment. The ruler was the final arbiter of appeals. He appointed all judges and held them to high standards of conduct. Before the reign of Moctezuma the administration of public affairs had not been done systematically until he, being a prudent and able ruler, drew up a code of common law; those who disobeyed were severely punished. This did not interfere with the restricted liberty which his subjects had, on condition that they minded their own business. “ —Codex Mendoza

Legal Records Legal decisions often involved precedent, testimony, and invocation of the supernatural Legal decisions often involved precedent, testimony, and invocation of the supernatural Even without written records, scribes and other specialists could produce recorded evidence, records of precedent, and could document new decisions Even without written records, scribes and other specialists could produce recorded evidence, records of precedent, and could document new decisions Less familiar aspects: trials by ordeal, oracles, interventions of supernatural forces Less familiar aspects: trials by ordeal, oracles, interventions of supernatural forces

Law and Social Hierarchy No concept of equality before the law; many law codes set up explicitly to reinforce inequality No concept of equality before the law; many law codes set up explicitly to reinforce inequality Definitions of crimes and of appropriate punishment directly reflected the hierarchical social order Definitions of crimes and of appropriate punishment directly reflected the hierarchical social order In most societies, commoners did not (or could not) take members of higher ranks to court In most societies, commoners did not (or could not) take members of higher ranks to court

Taking the show on the road: tools of political expansion Increasing militarism Increasing militarism A form of specialized labor within the stateA form of specialized labor within the state A tool for territorial expansion beyond the stateA tool for territorial expansion beyond the state In territorial states, the major mechanism for social mobility for commonersIn territorial states, the major mechanism for social mobility for commoners Dependent on infrastructure developmentDependent on infrastructure development

Functions of the Military: Secured and defended frontiers Secured and defended frontiers Enriched powerful rulers (access to new resources in expanding territory, or tribute extraction) Enriched powerful rulers (access to new resources in expanding territory, or tribute extraction) Maintained internal order Maintained internal order

Mass Armies “Conscript” status: commoner enlistees, not full- time specialists “Conscript” status: commoner enlistees, not full- time specialists Lead by elite officers who were otherwise administrative bureaucrats (ie., not military specialists, either) Lead by elite officers who were otherwise administrative bureaucrats (ie., not military specialists, either)

Reasons for Warfare: External For territory (extension, or control) For territory (extension, or control) For military competition and alliances (eg. Aztec “Flowery Wars”) For military competition and alliances (eg. Aztec “Flowery Wars”) For wealth acquisition(raid/trade strategies) For wealth acquisition(raid/trade strategies)

Sources of Conflict: Internal Internal ethnic minorities (especially in expanding states) Internal ethnic minorities (especially in expanding states) Elite competition Elite competition Class Conflict Class Conflict

Professional Militaries and Militarization Recruitment from ranks of elites, from internal minorities Recruitment from ranks of elites, from internal minorities Often attached personally to the ruler or elite families/lineages Often attached personally to the ruler or elite families/lineages Professionalized roles developed along with increased emphasis on military technologies, increased frequency, scale of conflict Professionalized roles developed along with increased emphasis on military technologies, increased frequency, scale of conflict