FRINK Linked Data Fragments server

Matches in SemOpenAlex for { <https://semopenalex.org/work/W2994041977> ?p ?o ?g. }

• W2994041977 startingPage "107" @default.
• W2994041977 abstract "THE COLLAPSE OF COMPLEX SOCIETIESJoseph TainterYou Tube Videohttp ://www.youtube.com/watch? v= ddmQhIiVM48Review Essay by Tom KandoJoseph Tainter is an anthropologist and historian who teaches at Utah State University. In 1988, he published a book titled The Collapse of Complex Societies. Since then, Tainter has amplified his thesis, making it even more compelling. This essay is based on a brilliant lecture he gave at Northwestern University on December 10, 2010. This is not a mere a summary; I add my own examples and interpretations. I do this especially at the end, where I suggest some straight-forward solutions with which Tainter may not agree.THESISTainter brings to mind another doomsday prophet, Jared Diamond, a UCLA geographer whose thesis is well-known. In his 2005 book, How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, Diamond proposed a neo-Malthusian analogy between the of the Islands and the possible imminent of humanity. Tainter is similarly apocalyptic, but more interesting. Diamond's Easter Island scenario is an academic version of what green people have been worrying about for at least fifty years. Tainter, on the other hand, presents a sociological analysis which suggests that the root of societal is located in the inexorable nature of social evolution. As a sociologist and a history buff, I found it mesmerizing.As a society evolves, it becomes more complex. In time, the level of complexity becomes unsustainable, and society begins to decline, ending up in collapse. Tainter uses the words collapse and simplification synonymously. Increasing complexity manifests itself in a growing bureaucracy. The cost of increased complexity is twofold: ( 1 ) greater expenditures of money and energy and (2) increased annoyance/pain. Complexity does solve problems, but over time it provides diminishing returns and requires more and more energy. This is the Energy-Complexity Spiral.ROME: THE PROTOTYPETainter focuses on Ancient Rome to make his point: For centuries, Rome was able to sustain its growing complexity through an extremely successful and strategy. Rome subjugated various peoples and appropriated the surplus resources which those peoples had accumulated. All these resources were the product of converted solar energy. That is, they consisted of built-up minerals (precious metals, etc.) and of human energy/labor (slaves, soldiers and other annexed populations). In 167 b.c. Rome conquered Macedonia, in 130 b.c. it took over Pergamum, in 63 b.c. Pompey occupied Syria, shortly thereafter Caesar subdued Gaul, and the list goes on.However, there is a limit to the loot and pillage strategy. Expanding empires run out of areas to conquer. Furthermore, the administration of the acquired resources, territories and populations demands more and more energy. Military operations and armies must be increased, particularly very expensive components such as cavalry.Tainter shows how the Romans attempted to deal with the fiscal ramifications of growing complexity: For several centuries, (from the 3rd century b.c. to the 3rd century a.d.) the Empire's primary currency was a silver coin called the Denarius. Also in use were coins with a partial gold content. For a long time, these coins were an extremely reliable and stable measure of value, with a uniform 99 percent silver content for the Denarius. However, in time, the government decided to finance the growing cost of the empire by debasing its currency. That is, by reducing the coins' silver and gold content and relying on inflation.Costs began to skyrocket in the 60s a.d., with the Parthian War and the great Roman fire during Nero's reign (64 a.d.). By the 3rd century, the bureaucratic and military costs were exorbitant. Between 235 and 284, the empire suffered chronic invasions and civil wars. Emperors such as Diocletian (284-305) and Constantine (306-337) tried to cope through reforms that increased complexity and bureaucracy. …" @default.
• W2994041977 created "2019-12-13" @default.
• W2994041977 creator A5026995428 @default.
• W2994041977 date "2014-03-01" @default.
• W2994041977 modified "2023-09-26" @default.
• W2994041977 title "The Collapse of Complex Societies" @default.
• W2994041977 hasPublicationYear "2014" @default.
• W2994041977 type Work @default.
• W2994041977 sameAs 2994041977 @default.
• W2994041977 citedByCount "0" @default.
• W2994041977 crossrefType "journal-article" @default.
• W2994041977 hasAuthorship W2994041977A5026995428 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C11413529 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C144024400 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C162324750 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C17744445 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C199539241 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C26271046 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C2779708316 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C2780422510 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C33923547 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C48103436 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C51575053 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C94625758 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConcept C95457728 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C11413529 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C144024400 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C162324750 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C17744445 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C199539241 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C26271046 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C2779708316 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C2780422510 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C33923547 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C48103436 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C51575053 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C94625758 @default.
• W2994041977 hasConceptScore W2994041977C95457728 @default.
• W2994041977 hasIssue "1" @default.
• W2994041977 hasLocation W29940419771 @default.
• W2994041977 hasOpenAccess W2994041977 @default.
• W2994041977 hasPrimaryLocation W29940419771 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W1495956776 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W1506415525 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W1527040853 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W2017032951 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W2068602705 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W2113114510 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W2476196984 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W2481592852 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W2488508440 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W2551955321 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W257422821 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W282957049 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W303250353 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W3148812414 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W3190812330 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W34299891 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W34435339 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W40748293 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W278956589 @default.
• W2994041977 hasRelatedWork W2992678457 @default.
• W2994041977 hasVolume "31" @default.
• W2994041977 isParatext "false" @default.
• W2994041977 isRetracted "false" @default.
• W2994041977 magId "2994041977" @default.
• W2994041977 workType "article" @default.