Historical Dynamics: Why States Rise and Fall (Princeton Studies in Complexity) Reprint Edition by Peter Turchin

Many historical processes are dynamic. Populations grow and decline. Empires expand and collapse. Religions spread and wither. Natural scientists have made great strides in understanding dynamical processes in the physical and biological worlds using a synthetic approach that combines mathematical modeling with statistical analyses. Taking up the problem of territorial dynamics–why some polities at certain times expand and at other times contract–this book shows that a similar research program can advance our understanding of dynamical processes in history.