My husband read this book and strongly urged me to read it. I began reading this on my commute this morning. An excerpt:
The very stability and internal peace that strong empires impose contain within them the seeds of future chaos. Stability and internal peace bring prosperity, and prosperity causes population increase. Demographic growth leads to overpopulation, overpopulation causes lower wages, higher land rents, and falling per capita incomes for the commoners. At first, low wages and high rents bring unparalleled wealth to the upper classes, but as their numbers and appetities grow, they also begin to suffer from falling incomes. Declining standards of life breed discontent and strife. The elites turn to the state for employment and additional income, and drive up its expenditures at the same time that the tax revenues decline because of the growing misery of the population. When the state’s finances collapse, it loses the control of the army and police. Freed from all restraints, strife among the elites escalates into civil war, while the discontent among the poor explodes into popular rebellions.
Hey, I chewed on War and Peace during one of my long travel stints. I don’t remember this insightful quote. Time for another long travel, so I can read Tolstoy again.
BTW, are you carrying books cycling across the U.S.?
Comment by CindyW — August 5, 2008 @ 2:53 pm
Oh, this isn’t a book by Tolstoy. Its a overview of empires by Peter Turchin.
And yes I am carrying books. Gibbon’s Decline and Fall Volume 1 is on my list and husband’s taking some books on Buddhism and a hindi dictionary (so I can teach him). I’m also taking Feeling Good by Dr. Burns.
Comment by Beany — August 5, 2008 @ 5:40 pm
Off topic: I remeber you saying that set up a Crazy Guy On A Bike account, but how you are planning to write? Are you taking your laptop? Relying on public libraries? Do you have a wireless card or are you hoping to hit all the free WiFi Starbucks b/w here and there?
Can you tell, I’m beginning to wonder how I’m going to get my Beany fix!!???
Comment by natalie — August 5, 2008 @ 11:04 pm
Many people who tour have relied on public libraries to update their web journals. Its probably how I’m going to keep everyone updated, since public libraries are numerous and generous. I mainly want internet access in case I lose my itinerary and need to print another copy, or want to make a detour. Or I might need my bloggy fix since husband and I will be going off of caffeine and alcohol and might have withdrawal symptoms and need a substitute.
I am not sure if I will take my laptop…yet. It will be one more thing to keep track of, but people have toured with laptops and had no problems. But I don’t know yet.
Comment by Beany — August 5, 2008 @ 11:16 pm
First, thank God you knew what I meant. Holy eff! What language was I writing there?
Second - and note to self - don’t write comments on blogs while wrangling kiddos into pj’s. It only ends badly!
Comment by natalie — August 6, 2008 @ 10:56 am
No worries. I was falling asleep when writing my reply, and still don’t see anything wrong with your question. But then again, I am very exhausted right now.
Comment by Beany — August 6, 2008 @ 11:38 pm