SOCB44: LECTURE 3 (September 24, 2012)
Indus Region – 2500 BCE
Moenjo-Daro – 1500 BCE
- one of the thriving settlements before
- physical infrastructure of the place = has buildings made of bricks from mud,
2 stories high
- one of the buildings even had an underground furnace
- well constructed and functioning sanitation systems = drainage, sit down
toilets in 1500 BCE
China
- in early era, settlement is different in the sense that the temples, etc. are
geographically separated from other buildings
Middle east
- later on, became powerful
- couple of cities in M.E., 400K population
Cairo
- half a million in population in 14 century
Constantinople
- Istanbul
Max Weber
- wrote the book “Cities”
- argued the cities in the east had one thing that is missing compared to the
west = they had no independent political identity
- dominant social system in eastern society continued to dominate
- e.g. Caste System – cities in the east never development independent
stratification system, municipal government and institution
th
5 century
- start of Urban Decline
- e.g. Rome – dropped to 20K population by the 5 century from 700K
population
o decline on roman empire
o barbarians – German hoards that invaded the roman empire
o religion – romans established strong religious underpinning but over
time, belief in Roman Gods declined and Christianity came along
o economic trade – decline of roman empire coincided with the rise of
Islamic Empire
1 from the 5 century onwards, trade along east and west
Mediterranean stopped ripple effect with no trades and flow
of goods = Then no place for agricultural growth
- Feudal system – society dominated across Europe
System revolves around subsystem agriculture (farm enough
to feed their family. No production of extra food)
System that reverted back to relatively simple stratification
system
3 level stratification system:
king = divine; land and privilege
nobles = lived in the castle, has big state that they
control in return when king decides to go to work, they
were expected to go off the war and fight for the king;
1 right on marriage; etc.
servants/peasants = not allowed to do anything on their
own or own any land and not allowed to leave estate,
etc.
o Church (catholic) – has only comfortable power on the nobles
Tolls
No secular law = only legal system existed was “canon law”
Canon law = law of roman catholic church
Catholic church has prohibition on “usury” (money lending)
Usury – sinful to lend and borrow money according to canon
law VS Jewish lenders were not bound by this
th th
- ^This is persistent from 5 to 11 century
- arts and culture died/disappeared
o cities have been closely tied to arts and culture production so when
cities disappeared, they disappeared too
th th
10 -11 century
– turn this around = crusades
o Various Popes prevailed some of the kings
o Good of example of how to spin propaganda/saving humanity or
Christianity
o After initial defeats, crusades emerged triumphantly by troops fin
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