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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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?)

6. 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

7. 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!

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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.