The Imperial Order
eBook - ePub

The Imperial Order

  1. 566 pages
  2. English
  3. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

The Imperial Order

About this book

The Imperial Order explores the dynamics of political power, focusing on the rise, operation, and decline of great empires throughout history. Drawing from Aesop's allegory of the frogs and their kings, the book reflects on the inherent tendencies of rulers to misuse power, often prioritizing personal ambition over the welfare of their subjects. The work examines how unchecked authority fosters oppression and corruption, ultimately leading to the decay of imperial systems. Conversely, it highlights how power, when divided or counterbalanced by independent entities or states, can promote freedom, individualism, and intellectual inquiry. By comparing centralized empires like imperial China or Rome with decentralized systems, the book underscores the dangers of unbridled authority and the virtues of competitive, pluralistic governance.

This study of imperial systems delves deeply into the mechanisms by which power consolidates and sustains itself—through deified rulers, bureaucracies, and ideological control. It also analyzes the intellectual stagnation and societal rigidity often accompanying such centralized regimes. Emphasizing the political configuration as the primary force shaping empires, the book argues that power's concentration, rather than mere cultural or economic decline, is the root cause of imperial decay. While acknowledging the complexities and intertwined causes of historical events, the author challenges traditional interpretations by highlighting political power's role in shaping societal trajectories. Grounded in historical comparison and enriched by modern political insights, The Imperial Order offers a nuanced examination of humanity's grandest achievements and gravest failures in the quest to govern itself effectively.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1967.

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Yes, you can access The Imperial Order by Robert G. Wesson in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Politique et relations internationales & Impérialisme. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. CONTENTS
  5. CONQUEST FROM THE FRINGES
  6. DECADENCE OF THE FREE
  7. NEED FOR UNION
  8. UNIVERSAL EMPIRES
  9. PATTERN OF EMPIRE
  10. REACHING FOR THE WORLD
  11. THE SWORD SHEATHED
  12. THE SELF-CENTERED STATE
  13. FROM CITY REPUBLIC TO WORLD DESPOTISM
  14. VITALITY OF ROME
  15. EXALTED MAJESTY
  16. MONOPOLY OF AUTHORITY
  17. UNFREE ENTERPRISE
  18. RULE WITHOUT LAW
  19. BUREAUCRACY
  20. INNER COURT
  21. WHO RULES?
  22. GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS
  23. EQUALITY IN INFERIORITY
  24. POLITICAL CONTROLS
  25. GUIDANCE OF MINDS
  26. USE OF FAITH
  27. HIGHER DISCIPLINE
  28. GRIP OF EMPIRE
  29. GLEAM OF GRANDEUR
  30. POVERTY OF ROME
  31. STERILITY
  32. THE NONCOMPETITIVE WORLD
  33. WEIGHT OF THE STATE
  34. THE DISPIRITED SOCIETY
  35. BURDENS OF EMPIRE
  36. LANDLORDISM
  37. OVERPOPULATION
  38. THE BANKRUPT SOCIETY
  39. SUCCESSION
  40. THE INEFFECTIVE APPARATUS
  41. PARASITIC HORDES
  42. THE DILAPIDATED STATE
  43. CRUMBLING DEFENSES
  44. THE AMORAL SOCIETY
  45. FAILURE OF REFORM
  46. DECLINE OF EMPIRES
  47. IMPRINT OF UNITY
  48. IMAGE OF AUTHORITY
  49. CELESTIAL EMPIRE
  50. CHINESE BUDDHISM
  51. NEW FAITHS AT ROME
  52. THE ROMAN CHURCH
  53. ETHICAL COMMUNISM
  54. EFFECTS OF DOMINATION
  55. ISOLATION: HAWAIIAN DESPOTISM
  56. SIZE: PRIMITIVE EMPIRES
  57. WAYS OF POWER
  58. THE IMPERIAL ORDER
  59. BIBLIOGRAPHY
  60. INDEX