For many years, "World History" by Mc Neill stood as a reproach in my bookcase. Finally, I read it and I am embarrassed by my ignorance. Knowledge of history is as fundamental to understanding how societies work as knowledge of physics is essential to understand how things work. Here are a few things I learned.
Technological capability is the basis of military capability. Military power depends on access to weaponry that exceeds the economic capabilities of smaller entities. Tribes with chariots prevail over adversaries equipped with swords. Knights with spear and armor prevailed over farmers with arrows and axes. Kings with canons beat knights on horses. Industrialized nations conquer those without a weapon industry. The country with the biggest industry wins; in World War 2 the US prevailed over Germany and Japan. The nation with the most and the most advanced weapons dominates the world
Before 1800, the concept of a nation was weak; people identified with their village, their town, maybe their region. Provinces, even towns would fight while speaking the same language. Better communication in the eighteen hundreds allowed a bigger role for centralized government and made language the basis for constituting a nation. In 1850 Europa Cup excitement would have been impossible.
Muslim states are weak because religion prevails over nationality. Christian states have no problem slaughtering each other. Pakistan was a consequence of Indian independence in 1947. While Gandhi aimed for an independent India in which Hindus and Muslims would co-exist, the Muslims minority did not want to be overruled by the Hindus: therefore Pakistan, a Muslim state, was formed.
The French Revolution did not bring power to the people; Louis Seize’s authoritarian regime was replaced by Napoleon’s dictatorship. The actual effects were more important than ‘liberte, egalite, fraternite’ and went far beyond the borders of France. The French revolution taught that government was man-made. Until then, governmental structures and laws had been considered as immutable as the laws of nature. The Founding Fathers were the first to learn that lesson; a lesson that allowed them to create a state out of mamy disparate entities.
Democracy prevents dictatorship, but the price is more government power. A chosen leader can mobilize millions by appealing to patriotism but a dictator needs money to hire merchant soldiers.