Empires without police?

[Kukulofori]

To my understanding, police are a relatively recent invention, so how did empires before that point enforce their control over the peasantry or... whatever?

I don't really have a good grasp on how or why imperialism functioned before capitalism :s

[ComradeOm]

To my understanding, police are a relatively recent invention, so how did empires before that point enforce their control over the peasantry or... whatever?Prior to the creation of centralised capitalist states, judicial power was generally (varying with nation to nation) delegated to the local landlords. In medieval feudal societies upholding traditional law was the responsibility of the ruling warrior caste (ie, the nobles) with the likes of bailiffs, sheriffs, etc, forming the lower level of the administrative structures. Through the centuries these lords tended to become local magistrates, or similar authorities, and absorbed into a more centralised national apparatus. By the 15-16thC onwards the central government had usually established standing armies of professional soldiers who could be relied upon to put down major revolts

[StalinFanboy]

To my understanding, police are a relatively recent invention, so how did empires before that point enforce their control over the peasantry or... whatever?

I don't really have a good grasp on how or why imperialism functioned before capitalism :s
Militaries.

[ArrowLance]

It was like the 'wild wild west' :lol:

[Kukulofori]

So basically, the only real law is that you had to pay taxes/some of your food to the feudal lord, and if you didn't they'd send military after you?

[Psy]

So basically, the only real law is that you had to pay taxes/some of your food to the feudal lord, and if you didn't they'd send military after you?
Not really, the crown controlled the military not the feudal lord, the crown could even conscript the feudal lords (thus why Knights existed, they had armour and horses simply because they could afford them). The crown was the real ruling class and as long as the feudal lords paid their taxes and tributes to the them the crown let lords manage their fiefdoms. In feudalism landlords were vassals that were granted land in return for pledging allegiance to the crown.