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The Conrad Demarest Model

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

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The Conrad Demarest Model

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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  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… • 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.

  6. 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

  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. 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.

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. Survival of the Han Empire • Ideological change! Confucianism… • Ritual • Hierarchy • 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 another one? • Compare the Spanish Empire in 1450-1800 to the Ottoman or Russian empires of the same time period.

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

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