Discuss geography's impact on politics, economics, and society in general?

Answer 1

This is an impossibly huge topic "in general". But there are numerous SPECIFIC ways you can see geography's affect on particular cultures and specific historical events. Here are a few key directions to pursue (with some examples thrown in):

1) BODIES OF WATER (Fishing & Agriculture, Transportation, Trade)

a) nearby fresh water allows for the easy development of agriculture... and if the access is easy (often through simple methods of irrigation) the area can sustain a large population AND rather than having to just focus on survival (subsistence) can free many people up to develop the society in many other ways . . . including learning, arts, architecture. . . Producing extra crops also provides an item for trade with other groups and helps building wealth (ECONOMY!) Bodies of water with good fishing can provide some similar benefits.

The freedom to develop in these ways often leads to a growth in complex leadership (politics)... by a whole cast of priests, kings, etc

Note that many of the EARLIEST developed civilizations grew up along waterways -- e.g. Egypt on the Nile and Mesopotamian empires (Sumer, Babylonia, Assyria)..on the Euphrates

b) a NAVIGABLE body of water, e.g., river, allows easy transportation of people and GOODS . .

This often goes together with 1b). But an added advantage is that water has generally been the easiest, most economical mode of transportation. .. and its availability enables a society to venture out, establish and maintain more contact with regions beyond their own. . . and to TRADE. Again, this can open up opportunities to enrich a society, bring in new goods (and raw materials to work with).

We see this in early trading powers --Near Eastern example, the wealthy Phoenician trading city of Tyre, which sent ships throughout the Mediterranean, and establishing ("Punic" meaning "Phonenician") colonies along the North African coast, beginning with Carthage

Note that geography is not itself sufficient; it takes some organization, ingenuity and technological development to take full advantage of opportunities. Example in this area -- the Scandinavian countries were, by geography, 'turned toward the sea', but it was only after the Vikings made advances in boat-making that their trade grew extensive (as well as their RAIDING!)

2) AVAILABILITY of RAW MATERIALS - from food stuffs (agriculture, fish, etc) already mentioned, to . ..

Building materials -- iron from mines, forested areas with good trees for home-building, ship-building (for transport & trade)... e.g., Phoenician (towering trees of the forests of Lebanon), Scandinavia, New England...

MINES, containing materials to build from (e.g., iron) and/or to trade

(Note, however, CONTRA the thesis of the recent book *Guns, Germs and Steel*, that societies can grow and prosper WITHOUT all the best advantages of raw materials, and that some societies which had much natural abundance in this area failed to take advantage of it or came under the power of others who may have lacked for natural resources but made up for it by ingenuity, organization, financial prowess, military power, etc. So geography does NOT determine success or failure... though it shapes the sort of opportunities a particular group will have.)


3) PLAINS, open spaces, etc. vs. land 'broken up' (and people very spread out) by MOUNTAINS, etc.

This can affect how large a population can organize -- if one can easily get from one settlement to the next it is easier for larger political structures to be built (and eventually empires), whereas if it is difficult to get from one village to another (as often in the mountains). The second situation may limit development of complex structures (politics) and growth of wealth, but it can ALSO protect the locals from being easily conquered, since narrow mountain passes, for example, are more easily defended. (Example: ancient Edom was a 'mountain kingdom' that proved difficult for the Babylonians to conquer. Danger though -- may sometimes be 'starved out' by a properly executed siege.)

4) Other Effects of Natural Divides. . .

ISOLATION into small communities. . . Being separated can lead to the development of small independent settlements, even vastly different societies/cultures within a small space, linguistically diverse, etc (e.g., areas of Indochina separated by high mountain ranges)

POWER... natural defenses and borders may make it easier for a society to develop its own 'power zone' -- e.g., the separation of the United States from Europe by an ocean. . . which helped with obtaining its independence (sustaining an army across the ocean was one significant disadvantage for Britain), growing its own 'system'. . . and has contributed at many times to brands of isolationism


5) LANDS "BETWEEN" -- development can be shaped by being situated on the land between other major powers. Example in Ancient Near East -- Syro-Palestine is THE land-bridge between three continents, esp. between Mesopotamia (the edge of Asia) and Egypt (and from there down into Africa). The economies and politics of those settled here is greatly affected by the desire of the powers on either side to control the roads.... (Example: The kingdoms of Syro-Palestine in the first century BC were caught in power struggles between Egypt and Assyria, then Babylonia, pushed to ally with each side, and punished if their ally lost. This is the background of their 'exiles'.)

Answer 2

Well, just think about it. If there's a huge ocean between a group of people, they're not going to interact much. Their economies will not mix, and their societies will be very distinct. This is also true with mountains or deserts: people will be less likely to want to voyage across these places to get to other societies, so their people will not mix.