- 09 Sep 2013 11:54
#14296268
In addition to environmental degradation, I would like to add disease.
The natives of south America (Inca, Aztecs come to mind) were conquered by out sides forces aided by internal dissent, but it was the devastation of their population by disease that made them weak and disorganized.
If I remember correctly, the Romans were also devastated by plagues from time to time. The loss of manpower/taxbase has direct negatives, but I suspect it also has an additional impact: the dead leave a lot of goods to the survivors. This leaves a (surviving) population that could be materially quite well off - even those who inherit nothing, live in a society where there is more stuff then before, and I suspect that had an impact on prices and expectations of the average person.
The natives of south America (Inca, Aztecs come to mind) were conquered by out sides forces aided by internal dissent, but it was the devastation of their population by disease that made them weak and disorganized.
If I remember correctly, the Romans were also devastated by plagues from time to time. The loss of manpower/taxbase has direct negatives, but I suspect it also has an additional impact: the dead leave a lot of goods to the survivors. This leaves a (surviving) population that could be materially quite well off - even those who inherit nothing, live in a society where there is more stuff then before, and I suspect that had an impact on prices and expectations of the average person.
Jaded centrist. Wary Cautious liberal. Obligated Engineer(Civil).
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