The Reasons for the Collapse of Societies - Essay Example

The Reasons for the Collapse of Societies Societal collapse or the decline of empires, kingdoms and societies are inevitable and unavoidable. It has happened from the Chinese and Roman empires and kingdoms to the Mayan societies in Mesoamerica. They have happened thousands of years ago and will continue to happen as new empires and societies rise and fall. There are different and numerous reasons for the demise and the fall of societies and for most of these societies and civilizations, the causes are the same and similar. The usual aspects that cause the collapse and the decline of a certain civilization or empire are economic, environmental, political, social and cultural factors. Some causes take effect immediately and others are gradual. Some reasons and factors for the collapse of a society are certain and others, a mystery. Throughout world history, there are several notable and famous empires and kingdoms that have collapsed after several years of their rise and development politically, economically and socially. The Han Dynasty in China was one of the most influential and the most powerful empires in ancient China. Today, the majority of an ethnic group of people in China are called “the people of the Han.” Even though they were greatly powerful and was an immense empire, they collapsed after four hundred years of reign and rule. There were several reasons why this great and grand empire and dynasty declined and eventually collapsed and fell. One of the main reasons for their ruin was the wars and the invasion and attacks by different groups that resulted in the weakening of the empire’s economy. The government officials also started to become more and more fraudulent and corrupt in serving the Chinese government. Although the moralists of Confucianism complained about these actions and events, the changes made were only minor and did not improve much of the falling economy. The succeeding rulers of the already declining Han dynasty were inept and did not know how to handle the problems and the obstacles that the empire was facing. In addition, their time in power was marked for their dishonesty, wickedness and corruption in governing the empire. After this, Wang Mang, the next leader of the Han Dynasty, in an attempt to make reforms that would effectively reinstate and bring back the success, prosperity and the glory of the empire, made far-reaching modifications and alterations. However, natural disasters struck and resulted in a scarcity of food supply. Rebellions by peasants sprung up and Wang Mang died soon after. Although the Han dynasty was able to recover from the great downfall of the economy, it never regained back its great success and affluence and in 220 AD, formerly collapsed and came to an end. After hundreds of years on the other side of the world, the Roman Empire also experienced its rise and fall. Just like the Han Dynasty, it was one of the greatest empires in history and similarly, there were also a number of different grounds and causes of its fall. One of the said key reasons was the split of the Roman Empire between the West and the East (also known as the Byzantium Empire.) There were also several civil wars that occurred. Some emperors such as Commodus gave in to immorality and practiced violence, which caused his assassination and this resulted in the beginning of the collapse of the empire. The Roman people ultimately lost their power as barbarian ns in the North frequently invaded and attacked. The Roman army started to become disloyal to the empire. The infrastructures such as bridges and pathways were not maintained, causing trade and communication to stop. Christians were heavily persecuted and people gathered in crowds and cheered on as people died violent deaths. The falling economy caused food supply to run out. With all these troubles and problems, the Roman Empire in time collapsed and fell. The causes and reasons for the fall of both the Han Dynasty in the East and the Roman Empire in Europe ere certain. However, it is not always the case. Some empires and civilizations’ fall was and still is a mystery that is yet to be solved. One of those kingdoms with a mysterious cause for their demise was the Mayan civilization in Mesoamerica. There are many theories as to what was the main cause of their downfall and end. Some say that foreign invasion from non-Mayan groups in the lowlands and in the coastal areas was the cause. Others say that it was due to the revolts by the peasants, chaos and disorder in the community and rebellion. Another theory is the collapse and the breakdown of the trade routes that were connected to the center of the Teotihuacan city in Mexico. Other theories include famine, plagues and diseases that killed the majority of the Mayan people. The Mayan along with the Han and the Roman Empire were all great empires in the ancient world that rose and fell in its own time, place and for different reasons. However, currently, some of the modern empires are also starting to decline and might eventually collapse in the future, following the trend of the history of the numerous empires. One of the declining empires and societies that are starting to become evident is the United States of America. Again, just like the past empires and kingdoms that ruled, the American empire was great. It became greatly successful but recently in the past few years, the world has noticed its decline in the economy as well as in the environment. America is evidently showing an economic meltdown. USA carries on about 630 billion trade deficit. The incessant drain of the economy that is unsustainable has caused the dollar to lose its value in other countries. Scientific studies show that several environmental issues have been happening such as deforestation, depletion and pollution of freshwater, air, and the food as well. The diminution of minerals and of oil supply has also been increasingly occurring. The overextension of the military and the domestic rebellion and turmoil are also among the causes that are resulting in the gradual decline of the American empire. Works Cited "Classic Maya Collapse." Wikipedia. Wikimedia, Inc., n.d. Web. 3 May 2011. Nosotro, Rit. "The Decline of the Han Dynasty and the Roman Empire." Hyper History. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 May 2011. Coyote Prime. "Imperial Entropy: The Collapse of the American Empire." Running 'Cause I Can't Fly. Blogspot, n.d. Web. 3 May 2011. Read More