Why Did Empires Decline And Small States Rise?

Question 1

Hypothesis

Answer 1

Factors favouring small states in medieval and EME: military and political competition, manufacturing, cities, fragmentations of claims to social and political power, feudalism

Question 2

Fragmented Europe

Answer 2

Fall of the Roman Empire

Age of migration

Question 3

What’s in the modern state?

Answer 3

Monopoly on violence, jurisdiction and legislation, taxation, borders

Question 4

Medieval and early modern state

Answer 4

No monopoly on violence and social power
State on the rise, but still in the making
One political actor among many
Competition - power and economic resources

Question 5

The church

Answer 5

Landowner, transnational corporation, political power

Right to anoint kings, emperors - direct political-supremacy claim

Question 6

The nobility

Answer 6

Direct competition with kings for social, political and economic power
Dynastic elements
Feudalism

Question 7

Feudalism - mode of production

Answer 7

Top-down
Holistic claim on Human Resources, money, labour
Led to political and territorial fragmentation

Question 8

Cities

Answer 8

Urban free and life
Manufacturing
Artisans
Political representation cities -> productivity -> economic growth

Question 9

What happened to the contestants?

Answer 9

Nobility - decline in social power
Church - as above
Cities - rose - economic growth, transition to capitalism

Question 10

What did European states do?

Answer 10

Make war
Tax
Make coins 
Public infrastructure 
Promoted domestic competitiveness