09-19-2012, 06:51 PM
Why on earth should the people have supported the empire? From what I've read, imperial administration was for the benefit of the ruling classes and of the army, and was increasingly hostile towards the rest of the working classes in later periods.
It manifests in the attitude that some-such-person was poor because he only had one or two slaves; such a person might be poorer than the rest of the rich, but this implies that the original author had forgotten the actual poor and the slaves.
It manifests in policies that tie an increasing proportion of the population to the land, and to the landlords' control, and in policies that tie sons to fathers' occupations.
It manifests in tax policies that fall hardest on the poor.
It manifests in the attitude that some-such-person was poor because he only had one or two slaves; such a person might be poorer than the rest of the rich, but this implies that the original author had forgotten the actual poor and the slaves.
It manifests in policies that tie an increasing proportion of the population to the land, and to the landlords' control, and in policies that tie sons to fathers' occupations.
It manifests in tax policies that fall hardest on the poor.
