Final answer:
Early Modern Eurasian states maintained power through social stratification, centralized rule, cultural integration, and political structures such as redistributive economies and militaries. They also used kinship metaphors and sought prestige goods to reinforce status and authority.
Step-by-step explanation:
The early Modern Eurasian states utilized a variety of methods to maintain power, including cultural and political strategies.
With the rise of social stratification and centralized rule, these states developed systems of ideology and hegemony that helped support and justify the social order.
Constructs that combined the apparatus of the state with a shared national culture solidified notions of peoplehood and loyalty to the state.
European colonialism, for example, typically imposed an authoritarian state over existing local forms of political organization, leading to structural and social issues post-independence.
Meanwhile, across Eurasia, systems such as redistributive economies, military forces, and diplomatic practices became vital for asserting dominance and stability within and between states.
Furthermore, kinship language often framed political relations, reinforcing alliances and the expansion of political entities.
The acquisition of prestige goods and the manipulation of sacred rituals and stories also played a key role in establishing and maintaining political power, particularly in East Asia.
Systems like redistributive economies, arranged marriages for alliances, and tribute were common in maintaining empires and exerting control.