War and Peace and War: A Study Guide

Quiz

Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each.

* What is psychohistory, as described in the text, and what does it predict for empires?

* How does the text illustrate the “butterfly effect” in the context of complex dynamic systems?

* According to the text, what historical event is associated with Caffa, and what was its devastating impact on Europe?

* How did religion function as a marker of identity in Muscovy, and how did this differ from the American experience with race?

* What was the significance of the Rhine frontier, and how long did it remain in place?

* Explain the concept of asabiya in the text and how it relates to the success of the Arab conquests.

* Briefly describe the events that led to the beginning of World War I, according to the text.

* How does the text describe the "collective action problem" and how does reciprocity influence cooperation?

* How did the frontier between “civilization” and “barbarism” in Europe contribute to the emergence of new empires, and give three examples?

* What was mos maiorum and what role did it play in early Roman society?

Answer Key

* Psychohistory is a science that integrates the actions of many individuals into equations to predict large-scale social trends. It predicts the decay and collapse of central power, including rebellions and civil wars.

* The "butterfly effect" means that small initial causes can have large and unpredictable effects on complex systems. This implies that long-term predictions for social systems may be impossible.

* Caffa, a city in Crimea, was besieged by Mongols who catapulted plague-ridden corpses into the city in 1346. This act led to the spread of the Black Death, killing half the European population within three years.

* In Muscovy, religion served as the primary marker of identity; people of other ethnicities could join society through conversion. In contrast, American society used race as a marker, making it difficult for Native Americans to assimilate regardless of religious beliefs.

* The Rhine frontier was a series of permanent defensive forts established by Augustus after the battle of the Teutoburg Forest. It remained relatively stationary for four centuries, marking a boundary of Roman influence.

* Asabiya refers to a collective solidarity or social cohesion. The text suggests that higher asabiya among the Arabs allowed them to defeat both Byzantine and Persian empires, which were experiencing decentralisation.

* The assassination of Franz Ferdinand served as the pretext for Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia. Russia mobilised in defence of Serbia, and a chain reaction of alliances drew other nations, including Germany, France and England into World War I.

* The collective action problem occurs when individual self-interest undermines the group's common good. Reciprocity, as exemplified by the “tit-for-tat” strategy, enables long-term cooperation between rational agents through repeated interactions.

* The frontier between "civilisation" and "barbarism", specifically on the Mediterranean shore, was a zone of contact and conflict. This area led to the rise of new aggressive empires such as Carthage, Macedon and Rome.

* Mos maiorum were the ancestral customs and values that governed the private and public lives of early Romans. They promoted virtues such as devotion to family and community, and heroism in war, for the common good.

Essay Questions

Instructions: Answer the following questions in well-structured essays, using evidence from the text.

* Discuss the role of frontiers and contact zones in the formation of new empires. Give specific examples from the text, and consider the similarities and differences between them.

* Analyze the concept of asabiya and how it influences the rise and fall of states, based on the examples provided in the text.

* Explore the interplay between co-operation and competition in the development of societies. How does the text explain why societies engage in large scale co-operation at all, despite the obvious collective-action problem?

* Assess the validity of using the 'science of history' to predict social trends and the collapse of empires. Can the approach described be used successfully? Consider arguments both for and against, as described in the text.

* Compare and contrast the societal characteristics of early Rome, Muscovy and Castile, as described in the text, in relation to the emergence and success of empires.

Glossary of Key Terms

* Psychohistory: A hypothetical science that uses mathematical equations to predict large-scale social trends by integrating the actions of many individuals.

* Butterfly Effect: The idea that small initial causes can have large and unpredictable effects on complex dynamic systems.

* Black Death: The pandemic of bubonic plague that devastated Europe in the 14th century, originating from Caffa after the Mongols besieged the city.

* Muscovy: An historical Russian state, where religion, rather than ethnicity, was the primary marker of social identity.

* Rhine Frontier: The Roman Empire's defensive line of forts along the Rhine River, marking the boundary between Roman territory and barbarian regions for many centuries.

* Asabiya: A term used to describe the social solidarity and collective cohesion of a group, which is presented as a key factor in their ability to engage in warfare and create new political entities.

* Collective Action Problem: The situation where individual self-interest undermines the group’s common good, making co-operation difficult and unstable.

* Reciprocity: The mechanism of repeated interactions that enables co-operation between rational agents, such as the "tit-for-tat" strategy.

* Metaethnic Frontier: A zone of contact and conflict between two distinct cultural or ethnic groups, often giving rise to the creation of new states or empires.

* Mos Maiorum: The ancestral customs, values, and traditions that governed the private and public lives of early Romans.

* Virtus: A key Roman value, encompassing courage, heroism, self-sacrifice and commitment to the common good.

* Malthusian Trap: A scenario where population growth outstrips the means of subsistence, leading to increased food prices, decreased wages, and decreased overall consumption.

* Equestrians: Wealthy citizens of Rome who served as cavalry in the military, also known as knights.

* Tercios: Spanish infantry troops, noted for their discipline, who were descended from Christian militias that battled the Moors during the Reconquest.

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