A Memory Called Empire Q2: Empire

NeilNjae

Teixcalaan is an expansionist, imperialist state with an explicit goal to conquer and assimilate all those around it. Lsel is already affected by that imperialism, the terms of the soft power of cultural influence. There are many responses to that fact of the setting.

Mahit loves all things Teixcalaani, even though she realises she can never be one. Three Seagrass loves outsiders, even if she instinctively looks down on them. Yskander and Darj Tarats want to manipulate Teixcalaan into getting a pragmatic response. Amnardbat wants to expunge Lsel of every trace of Teixcalaani influence. Six Direction wants the imago technology. Lsel is below Nineteen Adze's attention.

What about Gorlaeth, the ambassador from Dava?

In various interviews. Martine says she was motivated by a small state being annexed by the Byzantines, which traded political sovereignty for cultural freedom. 

What's the right response to an encroaching, possibly unstoppable, empire? Do you preserve your heritage and culture, or your freedom and agency? Does this book help you understand some possible responses?

RichardAbbott

Of course implicit in your question is the fact that "Empire" can be understood in so many ways. Here we have actual conquest and take over, as has happened many times in Earth's history. But also there is another form of cultural assimilation, which Mahit (no doubt among many others) is a participant in. Violence does not necessarily happen, but loss of identity may well do. Which again has happened many times. The British Empire followed many historical predecessors in bringing in sons of high ranking local leaders to be schooled and raised in posh Brit society, and arguably this has had a longer-lasting effect than direct fighting.

There are just so many contemporary resonances here. What happens about minority languages? (Breton, Welsh, Cornish in my immediate neck of the woods, and similar ones across the world). What about local cuisine, social habits or building styles?

Up here in Cumbria we are required by planning law to imitate traditional construction methods (local stone walls with slate roofs) when carrying out new work. But there are now hardly any local slate quarries operating (there is just one left in the entire Langdale Valley, and that now only sells gravel of various grades, not slate or worked stone - I get sad feelings about the loss of history every time I pass it). So to make a slate roof you have to either buy from old buildings being demolished (very variable quality and durability) or else import foreign slate from half way round the world (typically Brazil or China) which seems deeply ironic. Often (and I do realise I am going slightly off topic) the stone work carried out is clearly just a facade and has no real structural quality, so the entire required appearance ends up being profoundly fake! So... is this a way to retain a traditional local habit in the face of potential assimilation into generic UK building sludge, or is it a bizarre pandering to a lost world for appearance' sake only?

Apocryphal

The answer is probably to capitulate, but there are no guarantees. Egyptian culture largely survived Assyrian, Persian, and Babylonian control, but eroded under Greek and Roman. I think the religious revolutions had more effect than the political conquering in the Levant. One might argue that Jewish culture strengthened under Babylonian rule. Native American culture was nearly wiped out even when they were cooperative. Modern US cultural norms are influencing the world without physically conquering anyone.A place like Quebec survives by putting up barriers, and playing a significant political role in the broader country that houses it.

clash_bowley

The answer is that every culture has to decide for itself. There is no one size fits all.

NeilNjae

@clash_bowley said:
The answer is that every culture has to decide for itself. There is no one size fits all.

Care to say more about that? Was Lsel right to take the path it did, of selling the imago tech to keep Teixcalaan at bay? Would it be better to fight, or to expunge itself of all elements of Teixcalaanli cultural influence?

clash_bowley

@NeilNjae said:

@clash_bowley said:
The answer is that every culture has to decide for itself. There is no one size fits all.

Care to say more about that? Was Lsel right to take the path it did, of selling the imago tech to keep Teixcalaan at bay? Would it be better to fight, or to expunge itself of all elements of Teixcalaanli cultural influence?

I couldn't say. What is right depends too much on the cultural context. Any action could destroy the culture that action was meant to save. Is the Mongolian metal band The Hu right to incorporate Mongolian culture into their metal songs? Perhaps the Mongolian culture will spread worldwide on the back of their songs, or perhaps the mishmash will end up contaminating and eradicating the original Mongolian culture. It's not for me to say they are right or wrong. In the end the results of what people do will be judged by people who do not walk in their shoes, and maybe that is wrong.