How leaders exercised and consolidated power in the Topic 1 period

What this note covers

1. The nature of power in the Topic 1 world: frameworks and foundations
2. Military power: the sword as the foundation of authority
3. Legal and constitutional strategies: the appearance of legitimacy
4. Economic strategies: controlling resources and redistributing wealth
5. Ideological and religious strategies: claiming divine mandate and cultural legitimation
6. Maintaining power: managing elites, suppressing opposition, and the problem of succession
7. Primary source analysis: what the evidence can and cannot tell us

7 sections · 12 key terms & formulas · 6 common mistakes